The Power of Effingo
by daz00
Summary: Sakura is being defended again and she's sick of it. Then something happens and when it ends, Sakura is different.She gains things she hadn't even heard of and it brings power as well as danger. Slightly more powerful Sakura. No pairings... Yet. RR!
1. Mysterious Sachiko

**A/N** – I got this idea while I was watching Naruto. When I heard that the next episode was going to be "Sakura Blossoms" I suddenly got this idea. I think it's going to be SasuSaku, but if you feel otherwise, let me know. I always listen to my fans. This story has a bit more powerful Sakura in it and probably won't follow the Naruto storyline (duh, I've only seen to the Sakura Blossoms episode) so it's AU.

**In my story all of the characters will be like 3 years older**. Since I don't actually feel comfortable with writing how twelve year olds get beaten up. [One more reason why I did not like Sakura Blossoms episode, other being that Sakura didn't actually get to blossom. Oh and that she cut her hair. I liked her hair thank you very much and I'm keeping it

-The story picks up from where the Bushy Brow's Pledge: Undying Love and Protection ended.

**Chapter 1 – Mysterious Sachiko**

As Lee crumbled onto his knees after Dosu's sound-attack, something inside Sakura clenched. He was getting a beating because of her. He was defending her.

Somehow people always ended up defending her. Images of Sasuke jumping in front of her and the bridgebuilder swam into her mind, followed by Naruto defending her from that snake-dude. Lee's image followed and it hurt her. It hurt because she knew he was getting hurt because of her. Even Ino had protected her as long as she knew her and Sakura was sick of it. She was sick of being the one everybody had to protect.

"You have no chance against us," Dosu said with the ugliest half-of-a-smirk Sakura had ever seen. "You are just rookies. Stand by and let us have Sasuke Uchiha and you might live through this."

Filled by anger as well as that sick feeling in her stomach, that she had gained when Lee got hurt, Sakura stood up. She knew she was shaking a bit from the lack of energy and the fright she was feeling in front of the sound ninjas, but she didn't care. She had to do something.

"If you walk away then you might live through this as well," she said with a confidence she didn't know she had. In the bushes Ino and Shikamaru were watching her closely, both in deep belief that she was suicidal.

"I won't let you hurt my team mates," she said, even more confidence in her voice. Wow, if the confidence got any higher she'd be the female version of Kakashi. Now, all she needed was a little orange and a bit perverted book.

"If you come closer I will fight and though the chances are against me, I will give my best to beat you. One against three, it's not the best way to do it, but…"

"Make that two against three," Lee said, as he managed to climb onto his feet. "I'm not done yet."

"Foolish kids," Zaku snipped, "You just don't want to see another day, do you?"

"What do we like do?" Shikamaru asked from Ino.

The girl turned around and said, "Nothing. It's suicide and you know it. If we go out there, we won't probably make it."

"But…"

"We stay here and watch," Ino interrupted, "If things go really out of hands we either join in or disappear before they come after us."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru replied, a feeling of uncertainty in him. This was not good.

Sakura's hand went to her kunai knives. She withdrew them from the holster and nodded to Lee, who nodded back. They were going to do this. No matter what.

Dosu was amused. Those two were going down and they knew it. But yet there they were, as hoping that they would actually win. Pathetic.

"You want to fight us?" Dosu asked, as Zaku and Kin walked onto either sides of him. "Are you completely sure about that?"

"If you want to get to Sasuke, you will have to go through me. I won't let my team mates down. I just wont," Sakura replied, damn sure that if it was her lying there, then Naruto and Sasuke would do the same.

Secretly, Kin was a bit impressed in her loyalties. She was pretty much sacrificing her life in the hopes her friends would make it. But they wouldn't. That's what Dosu, Zaku and she herself were here for. They were going to take down Sakura Uchiha. That was their mission and they were going to fulfil it. 

"Lee, you don't have to do it," Sakura said quietly, but loud enough for him to hear.

"I do. I promised, Sakura. Remember?"

Sakura remembered, but found it to be quite unbelievable. She hadn't treated Lee with that much of respect, but here he was, still keeping that stupid promise he gave her.

"Thank you," she said shortly, but no more were needed. Lee smiled slightly and nodded and then the two of them faced the ninjas from the Sound Village.

The kunai Sakura sent at Dosu's face was deflected by Zaku's soundwave. The same happened with the other one.

The three ninjas laughed and the five genins (Two battling and three hiding in the bushes) all cringed. Those two men probably would win the spookiest laughter contest.

Then they all started to run. Lee's taijutsu managed to knock Zaku off his feet and Sakura managed to hurl two kunais at Dosu, who blocked one and the other one just scratched him. Then Zaku's sound wave sent them flying.

Sakura managed to land on her feet, but Lee went crashing against the tree nearby. As he groaned, hitting the ground, Sakura got only madder. "I'll get to you," she hissed not caring if nobody heard, "even if it's the last thing I do."

She stood up, her long pink hair flowing behind her, "I'll bring you down."

Lee was groaning, but he got up as well, he won't lose in front of Sakura.

With some vastly found strength they charged at their enemies again. Kin managed to dodge Sakura's attack and Zaku was ready for Lee's taijutsu this time around. But Sakura managed to jump up and slash again, this time successfully making a gash in Kin's cheek. Lee's double turn, though it managed to give him another shot at Zaku also missed.

Dosu's hand was behind Sakura's head in a moment. The attack was coming, Sakura knew it, but yet she had no way to dodge it. It was going to be a big blow and she closed her eyes, hoping it will ease it a bit, but… it never reached her. Lee had jumped in front of her and as he collapsed onto the ground after the attack, completely battered.

Everything inside Sakura broke into million pieces. He had protected her. Again. Again, someone had done that, as if she couldn't handle herself as if she was useless. It might've been so, but it wasn't so anymore. As Dosu prepared to give the final blow to Lee, Sakura was willing to do anything for him to stop. Anything.

As she leapt forward, time seemed to stop. Absolutely everything stopped and Sakura noticed it. She stopped and looked around. Nothing moved. She walked to the left a bit until she saw a bee flying. It was frozen and even its wings didn't move a single bit.

"What is going on?"

"Not much," a voice behind her answered. She turned and screamed her lungs out. It was a ghost. A real, floating, barely visible ghost.

"What…Who…How?" She sputtered, her eyes wide.

"Nice to meet you," the ghost replied, "I'm Sachiko Effingo [Want to know what's the big deal with him? Find a Latin translation

"…"

The ghost looked at his outreached hand and put it down, "Right, too scary for now?"

Sakura nodded.

"Thought so," the ghost rubbed its head, "So do you like need a minute to process stuff? Or can you speak right now?"

Sakura raised one finger and slowly slid down, her back against the tree as she stared at the floating thing in front of her. A minute passed and Sakura asked quietly,

"Why isn't anything moving?"

"Oh it's a jutsu I picked up before my death."

"So you're, you know, dead?"

"Well duh, I'm a ghost aren't I?"

"Right," Sakura said, "a ghost. So how come I'm speaking to…a ghost?"

"Because I wanted to talk to you," the man said, cheerfully. "I like you."

"You like me?" Sakura asked, horrified.

"Not, like, like you. You know, not like that way. I like your attitude for stuff. You're great and the way you stood up to those two jerks. Beautiful!"

"Okaaay," Sakura said, "And uh, why are you talking to me again?"

"I've been following you around for weeks," he said, grinning widely. When Sakura's face blanched, he corrected again, "Not followed you everywhere of course. I'm not a kinky old man for your knowledge, but I need to do something with myself so I could move on and I've finally figured it out."

"Figured what out?" Sakura asked, staring at the man in front of her. He was definitely old. About fifty at least. He was wearing a black ninja outfit and if it hadn't been for his beard, he would've even looked pretty decent… for a fifty year old guy.

"I can't move on because of my essence. It's too big and heavy, so I'm giving it away. Cool, huh?"

When Sakura didn't respond, he continued, "I've been stuck in this state for I don't know how long. Usually when I see people, they whiz past me faster than wind. So when in my time I've stayed in this state for two years, then in your time… It's much, much more."

"How is everybody so slow now then?"

"My jutsu. I told you already," Sachiko said, "As a ghost, I don't actually have a bloodstream and a brain and stuff like that to control chakra. I have it mind you, but I can't use it. So it took me a long time to find a way to use the time freeze jutsu and then it took me some time to find the perfect candidate for my essence."

"And now I got her," he yelled, jubilant for some reason.

"Where?" Sakura asked, oblivious. Then she noticed a bit of blonde head behind the bush, which looked ready to jump out of it. Which meant she was coming to help. But…

"You want to give Ino your essence?"

_"What's essence?"_ her inner self asked. "_No idea,"_ another inner self replied, _"but we're going with the flow here. Going with the floooow."_

"Ino?" Sachiko asked, "Not Ino. You!"

"ME?"

"Yeah, you. I said I've kept an eye on you and you're perfect. You can control your chakra, an ability you really have to put on test if controlling mine and you have those friends who'll have your back all the time! At first I considered Sasuke Uchiha as a receiver, but that wouldn't work. Too much mixing and two bloodlines in one body. The villages would have him hunted for that. Too much power in one person."

Sakura used her incredible smarts to say, "Huh?"

Sachiko grinned, "I'm not making sense am I? Listen carefully, I am a ghost and I can't move on to the light, you know, because I have too much burden and now I'm giving it all to you. It's not exactly burden but I don't need it any more and you just might. So you can have all of it. My essence – my knowledge, my chakra and my whole friggin bloodline."

"What the… you can't give people bloodlines. That doesn't work like that," Sakura exclaimed.

"It does now," Sachiko said defiantly, folding his arms over his chest like a little kid. "Want it or not, but I chose you. If I let you go it would take another two years of planning and collecting spiritual chakra to use the spell. I'm bored! I need to move on not stand here watching as kids whiz past like bullets whole my life. Please, let me move on."

Sakura didn't get a word, she was too damn confused.

"I've been living in this village as long as I can remember. When a person dies, he or she moves over immediately or, if he or she has reasons, they hang around for a while. Some do and then I at least have someone to talk to for an hour or so. Then they move on and I, I get left behind. The last person said that the reason I don't get to move on is that when a ninja dies his or her essence disappears, but mine didn't for some reason and I have got to get rid of the burden. So stop whining and accept it gracefully."

"Wait ghosts stop here?" Sakura asked, not sure how many invisible old men had followed her around.

"Only for a really short amount of time and only if they died with regret. I recall many stopping here because they were murdered and… Oh yes! I almost forgot. The Uchihas stopped by about two days ago. When they heard what I was trying to do, they gave me a message to give it to my receipting person so she or he could give it to their good son."

"Two days ago? They've been dead for years!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Oh, really?" Sachiko asked, shrugging, "Told you the time is really messed up here. Anyways the message was as followed… oh and his mum, uh, she , umm… Okay, listen…"

The following five minutes had to be the weirdest thing Sakura ever did. Talking about her team mates dead parents and stuff that had happened to him, with a ghost nonetheless AND listening to a ghost singing… That definitely made the weirdest things ever happened top 3 for her.

"So," Sachiko clapped his hands together, "Are you ready to accept my present for you Sakura Haruno?"

"I don't even know what it is," Sakura protested.

"Oh, pish pish. You'll learn fast. It'll be all here. Just don't overdo it, train your body so it'll be as strong as your mental side and that it could handle the speed and all the chakra and well you'll learn with experience. I did. The knowledge of Effingo is all yours. But use it well… Oh what the hell am I moaning about. Use it how you want to use it, have fun, but don't go too overboard. I did that once… bad memories and even worse hangover."

Sachiko grinned at Sakura, who was looking him like he was the ugliest green beast made of slime. "Come here, girl."

"Come on," he said, as she didn't come closer. This time she obeyed. Hesitantly but still.

"Listen, you'll have to trust your knowledge okay? It'll probably scare you and you'll tire out fast because of your body not be able to carry that much chakra too suddenly, but it'll work out, believe me. But if you remember stuff that you know you shouldn't… well its normal. Just use them as trustable knowledge resources."

Sakura nodded. If this was going to help Lee, Sasuke and Naruto out of this, then whatever it was, she'd handle it. As reading her mind, Sachiko grinned and placed his hands on her shoulders. They went through her.

"Damn, give me a moment."

A moment later he placed his hands on her shoulders again. And this time his hands felt more solid. He grinned and started to recite words in Latin that Sakura didn't understand. She had no idea what was happening and she didn't even know what word Effingo meant. But she was willing to take the risk.

Suddenly white light started to glow inside of Sachiko. His grin doubled in size. "I did it. I'm getting to move on."

He turned to look at Sakura, who was feeling dizzy right about now. "Thank you," he said simply, sincerity covering his words. Sakura nodded. She hadn't exactly done anything, but…

"You did more than you could know of," he replied. This time Sakura was spooked. "You could've declined or told me to take a hike. I would've had to work up the chakra inside my transparent body again and it would've taken years. So I thank you for not making me suffer this life, if you can call it that. I thank you from my heart."

Before the light swallowed both of them, Sakura heard a faint yell of "Goodbye Sakura Haruno."

XxXxXxXxXx

A/n – What do you think? Good, bad? Middle? Not that understandable? Please R/R! 


	2. Change of Winds

**A/N – Wow, thank you all for your reviews. Thanks! Btw, I'm putting down some main boundaries for Sakura's powers. It's difficult I tell you. Maybe I should've though of an easier blood trait? **

**Please note I'm kind of bad with battle scenes so bare with me :P **

**Chapter 2 – Change in winds**

The world whirled and Sakura felt like she was going to puke. But then it stopped. She was standing right where she stood before the whole "ghostly incident" happened. Everybody was still frozen. Sakura took in the sight. Dosu's knife was going towards Lee. She had to stop it. Suddenly her mind swirled again and memories started to float. Memories she didn't remember having.

Inner Sakura was running around her head, being chased my stray pictures of different events, battles and jutsus.

**"Get them off me! Get them off me!"** Her inner self screamed and well, it didn't actually help with her headache.

She also felt a power rush through her veins, but as that happened, she also felt hurting in the back of her head. Never mind that, she told herself, I have to get Lee away from that knife.

No sooner had she thought of that when suddenly everything sprang to life. The knife was speeding towards Lee and before Sakura even thought of it, she had jumped in front of him and caught the knife into her hand, without even cutting herself.

**"WOHOO!"** Her inner self screamed,** "We're starting to finally kick butt here! In your face soundies!"  
**  
Surprised from her sudden show of incredible speed, Dosu stepped back. More and more memories started to appear in Sakura's mind and she felt really lightheaded and not very able to concentrate on the objective here.

Someone stumbled onto the ground. Without even turning, she knew that Ino had stopped herself from jumping to her aid, which meant she had probably fell head first onto the ground after turning back in the middle of a jump.

Sakura didn't have a good feeling about the whole "essence" thing. But she did have memories about using some really advanced techniques and she knew a lot more than before and for Sakura Haruno, that's saying something.

How could she trust the knowledge, if she had no idea if it was actually true and if it was trustable?  
Even before her inner could comment, someone else spoke up.

"Sakura."

Sakura was dragged out of her thoughts. Lee was moaning her name and she felt that anger start rising in her again.

"You," she turned to the three ninjas from the sound village, "will pay for this. Mark my words!"

She hadn't slept in 48hours, staying up to study for exams and to guard her friends' sleep and all that, but the anger in her fuelled her enough for her to stop thinking altogether. She just acted.

Before the ninjas could even do something, Sakura had punched Dosu into his gut, sending him flying. Kin was soon to follow and Zaku backed by himself, not knowing it was exactly what Sakura wanted. All of them being hunched together.

"Ino," she said loud enough for her to hear, "Please take care of Lee, Sasuke and Naruto. I'll get rid of these three."

Ino's mouth fell open behind the bush. As Shikamaru nudged her, she yelled back, "Uh yeah, sure Sakura."

Shikamaru gave her the look. She shrugged. "We will have to help. She won't get rid of them all by herself. It's not humanly possible, not for a rookie anyways."

As she stood up and looked behind the bush, she knew how wrong she was. Sakura was getting lost from the sight, being surrounded by huge pillars of ice, which started to shape as mirrors. [If you don't know this jutsu… look up the Demonic Ice Mirrors – yah, I'll explain how this is happening later. Don't fret )

Sakura almost fell over when it actually worked. Her mind had started to put pieces together fast enough, but all this… It was unbelievable. She had memories of using the same jutsu at least couple of dozens of time, but yet, she had never used it. She didn't even believe it would work, but Effingo… She hadn't heard of it before, but now, she knew everything about it. While it was scary, it was exhilarating as well.

She had to do something and that jutsu was perfect. She had seen it and she knew how to use it firsthand. So, she just went for it.

As the mirrors surrounded her, she let her instincts and memories take over once again. She had to trust her memories like Sachiko had said, because well, they were the only things she had.

Behind the bushes, Ino's jaw was against the ground. "Wha… What is that?"

"Her jutsu, I'd say," Shikamaru replied, looking as he was bored. In the inside he was going through his knowledge to see if he could figure out WHAT jutsu was THAT.

"Lee's waking up," Choji noted, as he opened another pack of potato chips.

"Mhm, you kind of promised to look after those three," Shikamaru noted. Ino looked up. "Oh. Right. Uh, you go check on bushybrows, I'm going to wake those two. Funny jutsus or no, Sakura is going to need help."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru said as he walked towards Lee, while Ino and Choji went towards Naruto and Sasuke.

Deciding that it was safer to wake up Naruto, Ino started to shake him slightly. No results. She shaked him harder. Nothing. She practically shook him to the core, but he still didn't open his eyes. Then Choji brought up the stick he was holding and with a smack brought it down on Naruto's head. 

"AH!" Naruto jumped up. "What the…"

He looked at Ino. Then he looked behind her. Naruto's mouth fell open. "Haku?" he asked and before Ino or Choji could react he passed out onto the ground.

"Whose Haku?" Choji asked, munching on his chips.

"No idea," Ino responded as she started to shake Naruto again. This time he woke to it. "What?" He blinked. "Ino?"

He jumped up, hoping that the last thing had only been a dream, but he wasn't that lucky. There they were. The mirrors that had almost killed him and Sasuke once. Suddenly they heard a woman scream. Naruto stopped breathing.

"Whose trapped in there?" he asked, afraid of the answer, since he couldn't see Sakura anywhere.

"Those three ninjas from the sound village," it wasn't Ino who replied, it was Lee, who using Shikamaru as support, came over them. "They attacked Sakura and wanted to get to Sasuke so they could kill him, but Sakura fought back." Lee coughed, "She hasn't slept in days I think. Watching after you and Sasuke."

Naruto nodded, still staring at the mirrors. "How did he survive?" he whispered.

"Who?" Ino asked.

"Haku."

"Whose Haku?" Choji asked again.

"The boy who brought up those mirrors," Naruto exclaimed as it was the most obvious thing in the world.

The four other genins shared a look. "Uh…." Ino started, but another scream interrupted her. That one was definitely male. They all turned to look at the mirrors, unaware about what was happening inside of them.

XxXxXxXxXx

Sakura, though her head felt like it was going to explode and all that chakra was starting to start a burning sensation in her skin, smiled. Dosu took a step back to the middle, where his two companions laid, both heavily hurt.

"I didn't aim for their vital spots," Sakura pointed out. "But moving is going to hurt like hell and they can forget using jutsus for about a week."

Dosu looked at the mirrors. She was in all of them and his sound attacks just bounced back at him when he tried to use them. "What are you?" He whispered, scared. Yes, he was scared of that young girl. A rookie to be even more exact. There was something about her that hadn't been there before. An air of strong aura was surrounding her and it was breathtaking.

"I'm the one who's going to make you regret for ever listening to that son of a Pippi Longstocking about coming after Sasuke. It's a mission you were destined to fail."

She sent more waterneedles at Dosu, who used his arm to deflect some of them, but a couple went through and hit him in the stomach. He groaned.

"You can't defend yourself forever," Sakura said from behind him. Dosu's eyes widened and he turned to see Sakura stand right behind him. As she sent the needles at him up close they were sure to hit. With a scream of pain, Dosu fell onto the ground, next to his team mates, who were conscious, but barely. It was their own fault that they lost. Maybe if they had given her a benefit of a doubt, they could've won, but they had underestimated her and now they were at then end of the road. He closed his eyes, sure that the final blow which will end his life was coming at him at any moment now.

XxXxXxXxXx

After the third yell, Shikamaru noted dryly, "Someone's going to be sore after this."

"Haku is strong," Naruto agreed, still pale, "Even too strong sometimes."

"Who the hell is Haku?" Ino asked.

Naruto stared at her, "I already told you."

"He's crazy," Shikamaru mouthed to Ino, who shrugged. "This is going to be a drag," Shikamaru said, sitting down.

"Naruto, wake up Sasuke," Ino said, "We need someone strong."

Naruto nodded, before he stopped in mid-motion. "I'm strong," he said.

Ino's face dropped, "Of course you are Naruto. But the more the merrier. Wake him up."

Ino, waiting for Naruto to know how to wake his team mate, almost fainted when Naruto grabbed the stick from Choji and hit Sasuke with it. Sasuke woke up almost immediately and everybody took a step back. His eyes glowed red for a moment and thin black lines appeared on his face.

He looked at the people in front of him. Recognizing them, he blinked a couple of times. His eyes went to normal and the black lines receded.

"What's going on?" he asked after a moment. Naruto opened his mouth to reply, but closed it as his eyes went into the size of plates. The ice mirrors were melting and well, they didn't reveal Haku. They revealed Sakura standing in front of the three very battered ninjas from the Village hidden in the Sound.

"Oh my sweet ramen," he whispered. Sasuke turned around slowly. He didn't see the mirrors, which had already melted. He didn't see the burning rage in Sakura's eyes, which had also receded by now. All he saw was a pink haired girl, her back to the six genins, staring at the three ninjas in front of her. All Sasuke could do was listen as they started to speak. 

Sakura was feeling sorry for them. It was weird that she felt sorry for people who had practically tried to kill her and her friends and all, but she couldn't help it. Besides, she had never killed a man and she was not about to start now.

But before she could tell the three ninjas in front of her so, Dosu started to speak himself. He was hurting, it was clear, but he moved anyways and took the Earth scroll from Zaku who only groaned when they made contact.

"Please," he said, "We'll give you this scroll if you spare our lives." To prove his words, he threw the scroll at her feet, ignoring the pain it affected on hi s body.

Sakura picked it up. She looked at Dosu and asked in a distant voice "Now that I have this, what would stop me from doing the same you tried to do? What would stop me from carrying out my mission ruthlessly, like you would have? I told you that you might have a chance to live if you walked away, but did you do that? No. Instead you hurt my friend, who was willing to protect me. You announced that if I failed you will kill my team mate."

"So…" she started again. None of the three ninjas looked at her, either ashamed or afraid that making eye contact could be lethal right now. The second option was more likely.

She stopped once more and stared at the three people in front of her. They were trying to stand up, but it seemed to hurt, because it took them some big effort. They all knew it was coming. Or actually they didn't.

"So, I'm giving you one more chance to walk away from this battle."

The three ninjas looked at her straight on this time, disbelief written on their faces.

"I know this might be a mistake from my side and maybe one day you'll come seeking for revenge or something, but I haven't killed a human before this and I won't start today. BUT," she continued, "if you ever threaten me or my team mates again, I will start. I told you that I'll fight for my team mates and I'm going to keep that word."

"Go," She said shortly, "before I change my mind and while you're in the state you are now, think closely about working for Orochimaru. It will be the end of you someday, because not all ninjas are like me."

As the three ninjas slowly backed off, their faces towards Sakura, as waiting for her to kill them as soon as they turned their back towards her, the look on their faces was priceless. Though they'd never say it out loud, they were grateful and maybe even respected her to some level now. It was weird. Dosu barely respected ninjas in his age and rank, but right now… she had just let them walk away after what they had tried to do and it made him think about, well everything. Then she spoke again.

"There's a river about half a mile from here," Sakura said. She didn't yell, but they heard her anyways. "The cold water will stop the bleeding."

As soon as the three ninjas got away from the sight, Sakura fell onto her knees. Her breath started to come out in rapid gasps and she put her hands around her head. It was hurting as hell. A couple of tears fell from her eyes, but only a few.

The victory dance the inner Sakura was doing didn't help at all, but it cheered her up somehow. For the very first time she had stood up for herself like that and she had won with flying colours.

"YOU GO GIRL!" Her inner yelled and though the head ache was still there, Sakura smiled slightly.

"Sakura!"

Sakura's head lifted. She turned her head and saw Naruto hurrying towards her with such a speed, that he looked like he was flying towards her.

"Naruto," she said, "NARUTO!"

Naruto was already at her side, bombarding her with questions. Most of them were about that jutsu and how she was feeling. Sakura bit her lip and asked quietly, aware that the rest of the ninjas were walking towards her,

"Did Sasuke see that jutsu?" 

Naruto fell quiet for a moment, probably confused about the question. He looked at her again, before shaking his head slowly.

"Don't tell him. Don't tell anyone. I have to figure it out myself."

Naruto went quiet, before he nodded solemnly.

"But you'll tell me about it, right?" Naruto asked, "I mean once you figure it out and all."

Sakura smiled and nodded as she tried to stand up, but fell back down.

"Sakura. Are you okay?" Naruto asked, concerned.

"Fine. I'm fine, just a bit tired," Sakura said yawning, "How are you guys?"

"Okay," Naruto answered with a shrug, "Just needed some rest."

Sasuke, who had joined her side, along with the rest of the genins, shrugged and replied, "Fine."

"I haven't seen you use that jutsu before," Ino pointed out, acting like she didn't care at all and was just stating the obvious. Actually she cared a lot, in the inside she was ripping her own hair out. When had forehead become so strong?!?

"Yeah, I just picked it up," Sakura replied, coolly.

"Sakura, thank you," Lee spoke as he walked over, looking like he was in minimum pain, "You probably saved my life."

"You probably saved mine first," Sakura responded, "I owed you one."

"You'll never owe me, Sakura. I promised to protect you always and I keep my youthful promises, but I was more of a burden today. Not even my secret, un-forbidden jutsu - the flying leaf shadow didn't work on them, but you, you beat them. Sakura, you're my hero now. I will train harder to reach your level and I won't lose in front of you ever again. I love you!"

"…"

Okay, Sakura was touched until the last part. She so hoped he was over that, but again he had those little hearts in his eyes and well, he was annoying her to no end. She had already declined him. Why wouldn't he take the hint? But she didn't say it out loud. He had come to her rescue and at least she could repay by being a bit nicer.

"Thank you, Lee," Sakura said, "But I couldn't have done it without you."

She had created a monster. She knew it as soon as the words left her mouth and the hearts in his eyes doubled in size and he started to jump up and down. Maybe he wasn't that much hurt after all.

"Lee."

Lee looked towards left where TenTen was standing. "What's going on? What was the talk about saving your life?"

Lee rubbed his head. This was going to be bad; he should've headed back to their meeting spot a long time ago. Nodding towards the rest of the group, he walked towards TenTen. They argued a bit and then Lee bid his goodbye and left. But Sakura could still feel someone's eyes on her. She looked closely and noticed Neji Hyuuga jump off the tree and join his team mates.

"Their chakras," he thought, "Both Haruno's and Uchiha's chakras have changed drastically." Their chakra's had reached a frightening level and Neji for one didn't want to be in the receiving end of their anger before he could figure things out. "What if…"

He didn't get to think farther, because he tripped behind a tree root which bulged out of the ground a bit and fell face down onto the dirt. He got up in super speed and looked around frantically to see if anyone saw that. Satisfied when he noticed nobody he cleaned himself up and then hurried up and joined his team mates, swearing to not think of anything serious around tree roots ever again.

About half a mile away, Hinata Hyuuga laughed quietly as she looked around for any possible teams carrying the Earth scroll using her Byakugan.

As Rock Lee's team walked away from the clearing, Naruto asked, "So, were camping here for a while?"

"Huh?" Sakura looked away from the retreating back of Neji.

"You're tired. We're all hungry and I'm dying of thirst," Naruto pointed out, "Taking a rest would be a good idea. By the way, why is all of the water gone?"

Sakura rubbed her aching head, "I used it to clean your cut and to reduce Sasuke's fever. I didn't have time to refill them."

"Oh."

"I'll go get food," Sasuke said standing up. He wouldn't admit it, but he agreed with Naruto this time. They weren't in the best condition to fight.

"I'll get wood for fire. I'll jump by the river and get water as well," Naruto said, jumping up, being as hyperactive as always. "And oh Sakura, thank for, you know, everything."

Sakura smiled, "No problem, but when you two get those things, what am I going to do?"

"Rest a bit," Naruto said, looking at Sasuke, "Sasuke, don't you want to say something?"

"Hn. No," the boy replied before walking away towards the river.

Naruto glared after him. "Really grateful brat he is. You should've let his fever burn him into a crisp."

"NARUTO!" Sakura yelled.

"Right, wood and water. I'm going, I'm going."

As the boys walked away, Ino, Shikamaru and Choji stared at Sakura. She started to cough.

Suddenly a bottle was thrust under her nose. She looked up to see Ino. After a moment she took the bottle and stared at it.

"It's not poisoned, you know," Ino said as she and her team sat down, Shikamaru complaining about wasting their time.

Sakura took a sip and another bigger one, before giving the bottle back. "Thanks," she said. Ino shrugged as she put the cap back on.

For a moment the four of them sat in silence, with the exception of Choji munching on his potato chips. About a minute passed, before Shikamaru leant over and whispered something to Ino.

"We're going to move on," Ino said after they stopped their whisper-conversation, "We're going to find a team weaker than us and take their scroll."

"Weaker than you?" Sakura asked with a laugh, "I don't think you'll find one." Though Shikamaru had said the same thing before, Ino still snapped back.

"Oh, shut up forehead."

"Make me, Ino-pig." Sakura said, meeting her eye.

The two of them stared at each other, until Ino cracked a smile of sorts. "Oh I will, but not now. We're in a hurry and like Shikamaru said, we're wasting our time here."

"You can fight us," a deep voice behind her said. She turned around to see Sasuke standing there.

She quickly started to shake her hands in front of her, "Oh, no, no, no. You have the wrong scroll you see and well we're in hurry and no reason to fight people who don't have the right scroll and… " she laughed nervously, "Got to go. Bye!"

The three of them scurried off. Sasuke shrugged and dropped six fish in front of Sakura.

"He's not back yet?" Sasuke asked, sitting down and leaning against the tree nearby.

"No," Sakura replied, knowing he was speaking of Naruto.

They fell quiet, both of them thinking their own thoughts. Sakura was battling with her headache and all those memories flying around in her head, was making her feel even worse. The fact that she hadn't slept for a while nor eaten didn't help along. But those memories were useful, she had to admit that. It's like she suddenly had all that information and all the possibilities in the world. If the pain would just stop.

She didn't know that it was because all that chakra in the body was starting to clog up her brain. She didn't know that the burning sensation in her skin meant that all the chakra was transferring into her body. She didn't know what would happen if her brain would really clog and if her body was unable to accept all the chakra. And right now, not knowing was a really good thing.

Sasuke was sneaking a look at Sakura every now and then. Something didn't match up. Alright, Sakura was smart and had amazing genjutsu abilities and a good chakra control, but physical strength was something she lacked. And those wounds on those ninjas had definitely been physical.

And Rock Lee. He had beaten Sasuke in a fight once and though Sasuke wouldn't want to admit it, it had been kind of fair and today Rock Lee said that his attacks hadn't even made a difference, but Sakura had managed to beat all three of them by herself? What was he missing here? He was about to ask when a big pile of twigs were dropped between the two of them. Naruto grinned at them and then disappeared in a puff of white smoke.

One more Naruto came and dropped more twigs onto the pile before disappearing and then another one and another one…

"Naruto," Sakura finally asked, when the real boy came in sight, carrying bottles of water, "What did you have them do? Take down a forest?"

"You moron," Sasuke only said to Naruto, who grinned at them. Sakura rolled her eyes. She then made a decent sized pile of twigs and then turned to Sasuke. She gestured at the fire and asked, "Could you?"

If she had tried hard enough, she might've done it herself, but it would've taken energy and chakra, neither of them she had to waste. Well, actually she had to waste some chakra, but she didn't know that. She thought that the reason her head hurt was because she had already used too much chakra… Well, she still was right about energy. She had none to waste in her state.

"Could he what?" Naruto asked, as he poked sticks through the fishes.

"Hn," Sasuke replied, before a huge fireball was sent at the pile lighting them in an instant.

"Oh," Naruto replied.

They fell into a comfortable silence again, Naruto humming as he put the fish on fire. He too glanced at Sakura every now and then, because honestly, the curiosity was killing him. He wasn't what people would call genius, but he did know that those mirrors were a blood trait and he also knew that blood traits weren't used by anyone outside of the bloodline. It didn't work that way.

Sasuke didn't know about the Ice Mirrors, but he could still tell that something was changed in Sakura. Though she looked tired and was a bit battered from the night before and the fight this morning, there was this air around her. Something that hadn't been there before.

Her head was starting to hurt bad and the burning sensation in her limbs and skin just kept getting stronger. She opened the bottle of water and gulped it down, hoping it would ease it even a bit. It did. For about a minute. Then she opened another bottle and gulped it down as well.

Naruto was giving her weird looks. She didn't care as long as it stopped the hurting.

Third bottle went down. By now, even Sasuke was starting to stare a bit. After all they were two litres each. She was panting as she finished the third bottle. In less than four minutes she had used up half of their water supplies.

"I'll go get more," Naruto offered.

"No," Sakura said quickly, "I'll go."

"I'll come with you," Naruto offered.

"No, you can't," she argued. When he looked at her, she said, "I didn't leave your side the whole night and this morning I didn't get a break because of the three sound ninjas." Naruto didn't get it. She added, "I just drank 6 litres of water."

Naruto stared at her for a moment, completely clueless, until his eyes widened, "OH! You could've said so. Go ahead, take a leak."

Sakura stared at him. Sometime the fifteen year old _[see the A/N in first chappy if you argue with this_ boy was so childish!

"Mhmm," she replied as she took the three bottles. The burning sensation was starting again and Sakura felt like she'd catch fire any second now. She walked towards the river quickly and when she reached it she first drank a whole bunch of water, before filling the bottles again. As she started to leave, she had an idea. She put down the bottles and without any second though dived into the water. She was right; it was so much more cooling than drinking water.

**"Wohoo,"** her inner self whooped, as she jumped into the imaginary water in Sakura's head. "**Take that you stupid head ache." **

Sakura splashed around for good five minutes before heading back to their camp before anyone started to worry.

As she walked onto their campsite, Sasuke's eyebrows rose and Naruto stared at her. Sakura looked at her dripping clothes, smiled slightly and said, "I needed a bath."

Naruto only grinned while Sasuke stared at her. "The password?"

Naruto looked up. "Come on. You can't expect for her to remember…"

"When does a ninja strike?" Sakura asked, "The answer is a ninja waits until the time is right. When the enemy sleeps and drops its guard, when its weapons lie forgotten in the stillness of the night. That is the moment for a ninja to strike."

Sasuke stared at her, "It was he not it."

"What? Can't the enemy be female? My enemies would be female," Sakura said. Sasuke stared a bit more and then said, "You're not Orochimaru, are you?"

"Huh? No," she replied, shaking her head, "And that's cross. Orochimaru as a cross dresser…"

Naruto grinned, but Sasuke still seemed to doubt. Sakura harrumphed at his glare, "Fine. Ask something."

Sasuke seemed in thought, "What's my dream?"

"I thought it wasn't a dream, because it was going to be reality," Sakura asked, quirking one eyebrow.

"Wow, good memory," Naruto said, "I only remembered that you said you hated me back then."

Sakura smiled slightly, "Who said that's changed?"

"Hey!"

Sasuke seemed to find her answer satisfying as he said, "Food's ready."

So the three of them started to dig in. Sakura had barely managed to eat half of it when Sasuke spoke,

"We need to get a new heavens scroll." His voice was completely free of emotions.

"Yeah, that bastard burnt ours," Naruto said, biting his fish with more force.

"He also ate one of the heavens scroll," Sakura pointed out [Let's pretend all together that it was the heavens scroll here – thank you

They fell silent once again until Sakura stopped eating. She could've sworn she head something hissing. She looked around, when she heard it again. Sasuke seemed to hear it as well as he looked up. He met Sakura's eyes who nodded. Before she could say to listen, she saw it. "RUN!"

Sasuke was up before she could even finish the word and Naruto managed to jump away just in time before a huge tail of a snake crashed into their camping fire. Naruto put on his backpack and joined his team mates.

"Is that?" he asked.

"Yes." Sasuke replied and soon enough Orochimaru stepped out of the snake. This time he didn't bother wearing a disguise. His pale face was terrifying and Sakura took a step back involuntarily.

"He's back." Naruto stated and to the three of them, that didn't mean much good.

XxXxXxXxXx

A/N – R/R people. R/R! If you still haven't found out what effingo means – shame on you. I'm really trying to not make Sakura too damn powerful or something, but I want to make her powerful enough, if you catch my drift. You don't? Well… I don't either. I'm still working on that. 

-Please review people :)

So was it long enough for your taste:P


	3. Unwanted Visitor

**A/N – Most of you know what Effingo means in Latin right? Btw, I'm going to kill that Orochimaru guy in a hurry, because:  
a)He creeps me out  
b) All bad guys get their asses kicked when the main characters become powerful.  
c)I want to make Sakura&Sasuke stronger for a good reason (Aww, I just gave out my possible future pairing)  
d) I want to freak Anko out for fun  
e) For no reason should Sasuke be as scary as he is when under the influence of the curse mark. I also don't want Sasuke to suffer because of the pain.  
f) I don't want for Sasuke to leave, ever[He might be a moron every now and then, but I kind of like him  
g) The main villain can be Sasuke's stupid git of a brother.**

**Enough reasons? **

**Battle scene warning – I might not be that good :D**

Can I get more reviews because I update fast? Can I? Please:)

**  
Chapter 3**

"He's back," Naruto stated. It was a surprise. A really bad surprise. You know, there's a reason why Sasuke doesn't like surprises.

"What do you want?" Sakura asked, Sasuke turned his head slightly to see her. She didn't look as much afraid as he thought she would. On the contrary, she looked rather brave.

"Yeah, snake-face," Naruto agreed, "You have a reason to be here?" Sasuke looked at him as well. He obviously remembered the last encounter with Orochimaru, because he was a bit shaky.

Orochimaru laughed. All three of the team 7 members took a step back in fright. His laugh was as pleasant as someone scratching the blackboard with something really sharp. "I think you know what I want," he said, looking straight at Sasuke.

Naruto and Sakura stepped automatically closer to their team mate, making a triangle with Sasuke in front.

"You can't always have what you want," Sakura said, again surprising herself and others with her boldness. She was like a big basket full of surprises today. But if only she could throw that stupid headache out of the basket…

"Yeah, we've learned that the hard way," Naruto agreed, supporting Sakura, "Have you even learnt the lesson."

"No need," Orochimaru replied, "I always get what I want."

Sasuke couldn't take it anymore. He was afraid and it confused him. He wasn't a guy that was scared and he had decided that he had to beat the small guys if he ever wanted a chance against Itachi. So why was he so damn afraid of this guy? Was it because of the memories he brought up or something else? But he couldn't handle it anymore. He couldn't. So he decided to do what he did best. He attacked.

"NO!" Sakura yelled but it was too late. Sasuke had jumped into action. He managed to attack Orochimaru twice, before he tried to use the Sharigan. The pain he felt made him fall onto his knees, clutching his neck.

"Sasuke," Naruto yelled out, but he didn't hear him. Orochimaru's eyes. More painful memories arose and Sasuke was petrified by fear and hurting.

Sakura ran towards Sasuke, when she looked up. She noticed her mistake too late and soon enough found herself not able to move as the most painful events in her life swam forward. She started to shake, barely able to see what was happening around her.

Naruto had also been hit by Orochimaru's gaze and he was so pale. He was mumbling something under his breath and his hands seemed to shake as much as Sakura's.

Sakura couldn't concentrate on anything as her headache only worsened and the images were killing her mentally. She felt tears prickling in her eyes, but she couldn't even wipe them away. Then the answer came to her. She was eternally grateful again for her extended knowledge. The only way to break free was to think of happy things.

_"Happy things,"_ she told herself mentally_, "Happy things, Sakura!"_

She replaced the bad images with good ones. Her grandfather giving her his headband and saying that she could only wear it after she became a genin. The day when she made friends with Ino. Ino and herself playing a prank on those girls from school. She finishing the exams and getting to wear the headband. Her mother baking those cookies Sakura loved. Naruto and Sasuke having one of their arguments…

Bit by bit, Sakura could move, but Orochimaru didn't notice. He was too busy giving the "Sasuke, I'll give you power… blah, blah, blah" speech to the Uchiha.

Finally Sakura was free, she could move completely and she did what she wanted to do the most. She laughed. She laughed out loud and both Naruto's and Sasuke's shaking lessened a bit.

Orochimaru's speech was interrupted and he wasn't happy. As he saw Sakura move and laugh, he was surprised. There were few able to break out in such short amount of time. But he wasn't here to appreciate her talent. He was here for Sasuke and the sharigan and she, she was just an obstacle.

"Guys, think of good things," Sakura said, "Everything good that has happened to you."

Sasuke heard her and he tried. He really tried, but then a question rose into his mind. What if he had nothing to remember? He tried, but he couldn't break out of those memories where he had to watch his family die. No matter how much he tried.

Sakura could see that Sasuke wasn't snapping out of it and Naruto was so far. If she yelled over to him, would he hear. Would Orochimaru get to her first? She had to help Sasuke first, but how?

That song. It hit her like tons of bricks. Sachiko had sung it to her and it had been weird, definitely weird. But he said that it had a meaning for Sasuke. What if she tried? Orochimaru had stopped speaking to paralyzed Sasuke and was starting to move towards Sakura.

It was stupid and she knew it, but then again, other than stabbing Sasuke's right leg, she had no more ways to bring him out of it. So she sang, hoping that nobody else would hear.

**"Never knew I could feel like this,"** she was feeling a bit embarrassed, but continued anyways as Sasuke's shaking lessened a bit, **"like I have never seen the sky before."**

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, as he crept closer in his bastardly way.

**"I want to vanish inside your kiss, every day I love you more and more." **Sakura really hoped it worked, because Orochimaru was getting even closer. She got into a leaping position, but kept singing**, "Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing, telling me to give you everything. Seasons may change, winter to spring, but I love you until the end of time."  
**  
"That touched my heart," Orochimaru said, "But it's time to wrap it up for you." He brought his kunai up, but before he could even start to strike, a strong voice spoke up.

"Don't you dare touch her."

Sakura jumped to her left, landing near Sasuke, who was also taking in a stance ready to strike. He was up and adam and more confused than before, but that didn't stop him from wanting to hurt Orochimaru. Every decent guy who meets him just wants to hurt him. It's a fact.

Anyways, Sakura was trying to snap Naruto out of it, while Orochimaru and Sasuke were having a battle of great minds.

"Join me."

"No."

"Join me."

"No."

"Join me."

"No."

That's basically how the battle was while Sakura tried to drag Naruto out of this. He wasn't shaking, but he was still paralyzed.

"Naruto think how things will be when you became the hokage," Sakura said. "They will give you free all-you-can-eat ramen every day, because they all respect you. You're the hokage after all. Everybody will care for you."

"Think of Hinata kissing you under the willow."

"Why would she be kissing me?" Naruto shakily asked. He blinked and moved his arm. It moved. He blinked again, before jumping into a fighting position.

"If you join me I'll give you power," Orochimaru told Sasuke, "The power you need to prove yourself."

"You can offer him everything – good health insurance, free dental care, free ramen, whatever," Naruto said, joining his team mates side, "He'll still send you to hell."

"And we'll help him do it," Sakura said, standing on Sasuke's other side.

"You're just rookies," Orochimaru sneered, "You have no chance."

"Where have I heard it before?" Sakura asked, "Oh yeah, those ninjas, who are probably lying unconscious somewhere, said it too. Only you won't end up like them."

"You'll end up dead," Sasuke spoke in a deep dangerous voice.

And then they attacked. They gave their best for a decent time, but all their effort was useless. Sakura considered using the same mirror jutsu, but if Orochimaru changed into a snake, he'd break out probably. She couldn't think of anything and she and her team mates were all getting tired.  
**  
**They jumped away, as dozens of Naruto's charged at Orochimaru, who cut through them as butter.

Sasuke being hurt by the pain in his neck, Sakura completely out of energy and bothered by her headache and all three of them utterly shocked that Sasuke's Phoenix Flower jutsu hadn't even affected Orochimaru, they were starting to lose all hope.

"It's his physical form. It's not normal," Naruto spoke, "Whatever we sent at him it doesn't affect him. It's something completely unnatural.

Sakura looked up. "You're a genius!"

"Huh?" Naruto asked. Sasuke was also confused, but he didn't let it show.

"Physical attacks aren't working," Sakura said, "So we have to try a mental attack."

"Like what?" Naruto asked, "I don't know any mental jutsus."

Sakura's mood fell a bit. She didn't know any that'd work either, unless… "Mangekyo Sharigan."

Both of the boys looked at her with clueless looks. "What is that?" Naruto asked and if the situation wasn't this grim, Sakura would've smacked him. "I can't use that," Sasuke spoke looking at Sakura.

"Yes, you can," Sakura argued, before she groaned softly. The headache was getting stronger and stronger by the minute. "Listen we have no chance. Do you, do you trust me?"

Sasuke looked at her. "Do you?" she asked again.

Sasuke didn't respond. He didn't trust anyone completely. Not after his own brother had killed his whole clan. Sakura sighed, "You can use the Mangekyo Sharigan."

"I can't," Sasuke growled, "The only way to use it if you kill your best friend."

"Who told you that?" Sakura asked as Naruto sent a fresh bunch of clones into battle.

"Itachi," Sasuke said.

"So it comes down to this," Sakura said, massaging her temples, "Do you trust me more than Itachi?"

Sasuke was rendered speechless. As they stared at each other, ignoring Naruto's questions about who was Itachi, he nodded slowly. "I do," he spoke.

"Good," Sakura said, as she took a deep breath, "Lightning Bolt jutsu!"

Sasuke's heart almost stopped as the lighting bolt hurried at its target. It was aimed exactly at him and for some odd reason he couldn't move. It came closer and closer and the thought in Sasuke's mind was - is that what he gets from trusting people.

Suddenly Naruto jumped in front of him. His eyes doubled in size. "What is he doing?" he thought and then, then he could move. Why didn't he push Naruto out of the way? No idea. Instead he jumped in front of him just as the lightning bolt closed in. But the collision didn't come. Instead the lightning bolt disappeared in the shower of lights.

"What did you do that for?" Naruto yelled at Sasuke, "You could've died!"

"So could've you!" Sasuke said back, frustrated, before he stared into Sakura's eyes, looking for a reason why she just did that.

Sakura knew he needed an explanation, so she gave him one, ignoring the feeling of faint on her. She wouldn't last much longer, she knew it, but she had to make sure that Sasuke at least tried. It was their only chance.

"There are two versions of Mangekyo Sharigan. The dark and the light one. Their purpose and effect is exactly the same. The only difference is the way of obtaining it. The dark is obtained by killing your best friend, the light is obtained by willingly sacrificing yourself for your best friend and otherwise. The reason Itachi chose to obtain the dark version is because he couldn't have obtained the other one."

"To get the light version, you must be willing to sacrifice your life for your best friend without any ulterior motives and your friend has to show the same attribute towards you. Itachi had ulterior motives and he was in a hurry, so he took the easy way out. You on the other hand have proved to be the just the opposite. You did it today and before, like Haku's mirrors for example."

Naruto and Sasuke were both staring at her. Orochimaru finished fighting with another row of clones and started to move towards them. Naruto sent six more clones charging at him.

"How do you know all that?" he asked from Sakura, who fell onto her knees. "Sakura are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Sakura said, as she looked up at Sasuke, "But you need to trust me on this one."

She knew that it was kind of hard to trust someone who just sent a flying lightning bolt at you, but hey, all for a good cause, right?

Sasuke looked at her and nodded. If he had to choose between trusting Itachi or Sakura, then the latter would be the choice for obvious reasons. [''Cough'' Dead clan ''Cough''

Sakura tried to stand up, but she lacked energy and it hurt like hell. Naruto threw her a concerned look, as he got ready to battle Orochimaru again.

"Sakura."

The named girl looked up to see Sasuke looking at her. "How do I… I mean, how do I activate it?"

Sakura blinked. He didn't know?

**"Of course he wouldn't know. He doesn't have the handbook about the kill-your-best-friend-to-get-it technique,"** Sakura's Inner Self pointed out the obvious.

"Uh," Sakura said. She had memories of using it, but how was she going to explain it to him. "Give me your hand."

Sasuke stared at her, before slowly reaching out his hand into hers. Naruto was looking at them, willing for them to hurry up.

Sakura concentrated on that memory, where she/Sachiko used the Mangekyo Sharigan. Then she used the transferring jutsu. They both jerked gently and for a moment, Sakura's headache lessened. It came back though.

"Did it work?" Sakura whispered. Sasuke nodded slowly. Even more confused than before. What was it - the get Sasuke confused day?

"Go get him," Sakura whispered again, feeling like she was going to pass out any moment. She took a calming breath. Sasuke threw a look at her, before he went to stand next to Naruto.

"You have to keep him put for long enough, so I'd get close some-what," he told his blond friend. He just hoped it'd work.

Naruto nodded, but asked, "Is Sakura alright?"

Sasuke threw another look at the pink haired girl trying to get up and shrugged.

"We have to take him down," Naruto said, his shuriken in his hand.Sasuke agreed and the two of them hurried to battle. It was tough but Naruto, alongside with his clones managed to hold Orochimaru down for long enough for Sasuke to get closer, but as he tried to activate his eyes, that horrible pain shot through him. His hands went onto his neck and he screamed. It was all that Orochimaru needed to break free and send all the clones along with Sasuke and Naruto flying against the trees nearby.

Sakura crawled next to Naruto and Sasuke. The usually cheerful guy was even more concerned than before, "Sasuke, are you okay?"

Sasuke rose up and nodded, "Fine."

"It's the biting mark isn't it," Sakura half stated-half asked. "The bastard is sucking your chakra out."

Sasuke nodded once more. That was it, he couldn't activate the stupid jutsu and they were running out of options. He looked at completely sober Naruto, then at closing Orochimaru and then at Sakura, who was biting her lower lip.

"We only have one chance, don't we?" she finally asked. "This is going to depend on you two. Don't let me down, okay?"

_"What is she on about?"_ Sasuke thought. He couldn't figure her out at all today. The mysterious battle with the ninja from the Sound Village. That song, there was no way she could know and that memory. It was a memory gotten first hand. Every movement was like he did that movement. Then how did she have it?

"Crouch," Sakura commanded. Sasuke looked at her trying to figure out if she was serious. She probably was. Since she had usually done good today, how could crouching hurt him? So he crouched, kind of thinking how stupid he looked crouching as the enemy drew closer.

"Here goes," Sakura whispered into his ear, "This won't last forever so take good use of it." One of her hands slid onto his neck and the other hand took his hand and then she chanted something.

Sasuke felt chakra flowing into him like warm water or fresh air. He felt stronger and the mark on his neck didn't hurt anymore. He felt like he was in top condition once again. He opened his eyes to ask Sakura what she did, but he found her lying on the ground, unconscious. She either spent all of her chakra or all of her energy. Or even both.

"What did just happen?" Naruto asked, "Her hands glowed and then she fainted."

Sasuke looked at him, "Can you send your clones at him one more time?"

Naruto nodded, "Yeah."

"Do it."

As the clones went off to battle, Naruto and Sasuke followed.

"You can't defeat me. One of the legendary three," Orochimaru smirked as the genins and the clones drew closer.

"We very well can try," Naruto spat as he and his clones charged at him. After some struggle, some beaten clones and some shurikens later, Orochimaru was still for a moment and that was all that Sasuke needed. He looked him right into his eye and activated the Mangekyo Sharigan and on that moment he knew that trusting Sakura had been the right thing to do.

Calling out the tsukuyomi and for the very first time using it to kill someone's spirit completely, not did Sasuke only harm Orochimaru, he completely wiped off his existence. As he withdrew himself from his mind only few seconds had passed, but for him it had been longer and for Orochimaru time didn't have any importance now. He was dead for good and he had no way to return. Orochimaru was no longer a threat, being beaten by mere simple genins, but well, nothing about team 7 was mere or simple. After all, they were team 7.

XxXxXxXxXx

A/N – Oh yeah. In your face pale, girly guy, who first dressed as a woman. Really, he was disguised as a grass ninja, who was a girl. Damn crossdresser. He/she always creeped me out Now, how did you like the chapter? Come on, review please. Pretty please. Pretty please with a cherry on top? I'll give you chocolate chip cookies!

NB – Now, the fun begins :) Bring in really shocked Anko ! And some Naruto/Sasuke bonding. AND some Sasuke/Sakura time… Did you see some of it in this chapter? Did you? DID YOU:D

NB!NB! – Please review. Please. I'm sick and having reviews makes me happy and excited. Cheers me up you know. And please don't miss the crossdresser. I'll uhm, stir some trouble if you want me to. Can I get 15 reviews? Can I? Please?


	4. To The Tower

**A/N – Reviews rule! Thank you all who reviewed and made me realize that. Anyways, off to the story, shall we?**

Chapter 4 – To the Tower  
  
Naruto had no idea about what was going on. He just tried to use his clones to get the snake-dude stay put. But when Sasuke just stared at him for a few moments and then the guy disappeared completely, well it was confusing.

Sasuke jerked out of the dream world and his hand went automatically to his neck where he could feel the marks moving. _"What's going on?"_ he thought.

"Naruto."

The fox-like boy stopped staring at the place where Orochimaru stood before and looked at his friend. "What?"

"On my neck," Sasuke said, "Can you tell me what's going on?"

Naruto stared at him before moving towards him and asking him to show. His eyebrows rose when he did and when he saw what was happening. Three black spots were uniting into one smaller one and a tiny circle was being made around that one spot. It looked like a tattoo now. As the spots stopped moving, Sasuke did a test. He activated his Sharigan, sure that any chakra from Sakura would be gone now. It didn't hurt a bit.

He activated Mangekyo Sharigan, still not believing he could. This was a major advantage. A huge one, since Mangekyo Sharigan gave him the use of the two most dangerous Uchiha clan's jutsus. Again, no pain in his neck. He deactivated his eyes.

"So, uh, what happened?" Naruto asked, staring at the pile of ashes in the spot where Orochimaru was before. Sasuke didn't respond as he moved forward. In the ashes there were three items, completely unharmed. A headband with the sound mark on it. A heavens scroll and a silvery thingy that he identified as… a silvery thingy.

"He's gone," Sasuke spoke.

"Yeah, I can see that," Naruto pointed at the pile of ashes, "but how?"

"I killed him," he said, taking the three items and putting them into Naruto's backpack. Then he saw something. He withdrew three bottles. "Chakra replenish potion?" he asked. "You have chakra replenish potions?"

Naruto looked at the bottles, clueless, until he remembered, "Oh yeah, Kakashi gave me some before the second exam. Told me that they could come in handy." He looked up at Sasuke who was openly gaping at him.

"You… all this time… chakra potions…"

"I forgot alright," Naruto said sheepishly, scratching his head. "Besides, we didn't need them, did we?"

Sasuke glared at him, before saying, "If we had drunk those, then Sakura would be conscious right now."

"Oh… yeah…" Naruto agreed, as he looked at their third team mate, "what are we going to do now?"

Sasuke looked at the earth scroll he had and the Heavens scroll he had put into Naruto's backpack and said, "We're going to the tower as soon as we can. It's still early, not even a day has passed. If we're lucky then everybody will still be battling and not heading there. With Sakura out, we can't fight more teams."

"Should we wake her up?" Naruto said, looking around. Sasuke had a doubt that he was looking for a stick, so he quickly said, "No."

"No?"

"Yes, no," Sasuke said, "I'll carry her."

"You'll carry her," Naruto repeated slowly, as if Sasuke was speaking in Italian.

"Yeah, you'll take your backpack and some bottles of water. We don't know how long it'll take."

Naruto nodded and ran towards their camping fire, where he took the water bottles. He joined Sasuke's side a minute later. The other boy had already picked up Sakura.

"Let's go."

The two boys started to walk through the forest heading to the finish point of the second exam. They had to be extra careful so they wouldn't run into any traps or get any attention from enemy ninjas.

"So what is that mark on your neck?" Naruto asked, as they walked. Sasuke didn't respond. Naruto fell quiet for a bit, before he said, "You actually think of me as a friend, eh?"

That got Sasuke's attention. He shifted Sakura just a tiny bit as they moved, before he asked, "What do you mean?"

"Sakura said that you can only use the Mango-thingy if you save your friend's life and he does the same for you. So I presume that after you moron jumped in front of a lightning bolt, then it means we're kind of friends, aren't we? Since you got to mango the hell out of that snake-dude."

Sasuke thought about it, not wanting to amend that it had to be his best friend whose life he saved. Actually, he didn't even have any closer friends than these two. So Naruto would have to be his best friend, right?

"Guess so," he said. Naruto nodded, before adding, "You'll still my rival though and I'm going to take you down."

"Hn," Sasuke said, but he was amused. He just didn't let it show. He usually never let emotions show, it'll ruin his reputation. He showing emotions is the same as a good ninja like Neji stumbling on a tree root and falling flat on his face or something – it just didn't happen.

They walked for at least two more hours until they heard voices, belonging to some ninjas from the Mist. They slowly crept past, as Naruto suddenly had an idea.

"Maybe I should send my clones out," he offered, "Let them surround us in big distances, so we'd know if we had to avoid an area."

Sasuke stared. What was happening with the world? Sakura becomes this powerful and then Naruto has good ideas? This was impossible. If now Lee would shave his eyebrows and dye his hair blond, then Sasuke would know that the apocalypse was closing in.

Outside he just nodded slowly. Naruto grinned as he sent some clones into the forest nearby.

"Can you keep in contact with them?" Sasuke asked. Naruto nodded, "Somewhat. They're a part of me you know. My chakra, so I can somewhat communicate with them."

Sasuke didn't respond. He was surprised that he didn't know that before.

"Do you want me to carry her for a while?"

Sasuke looked up to see Naruto looking at him. He looked down at Sakura, whose hands were around his neck by now. She was in a comfortable position and she wasn't heavy at all. She was fine where she was. He was fine with it as well. He expressed himself by saying, "No," to Naruto.

"Okay," Naruto shrugged as they kept walking. Man, this forest was huge.

"We ought to stop for a few minutes," Naruto said. They had walked for another few hours and the tower looked like barely few more hours away. Sasuke knew that and he wasn't sure if having a rest right now was the best idea.

"Come on," Naruto said, "We need to eat and drink."

"We don't have any food," Sasuke pointed out.

"Of course we do," Naruto said brightly, extracting fishes wrapped in leaves from his bag. "I grabbed those when I went after the water bottles."

"Aa," Said Sasuke, "Fine."

He gently put Sakura down as he sat as well. As he opened the bottle, Naruto asked,

"Should we wake up Sakura so she could eat?"

Sasuke looked at her sleeping form, before shaking his head ever-so-lightly. "Let's just save some for her if she wakes up."

Naruto nodded, "So what happened to her anyways. I mean she was so shaky all day."

"She's out of energy or chakra," Sasuke replied, "She used a lot of both today."

Naruto was surprised about Sasuke today. He seemed more… talkative. Deciding to take advantage of that, he asked, "Whose Itachi?"

Sasuke looked up with a sharp glance, but didn't say a word. Naruto sighed, there goes the talkative person and here comes the usually silent Uchiha.

Sasuke took a couple of more bites from the fish and gulped down a bit of water, before he said, "We should start moving again."

"But we just sat down," Naruto protested.

"We have to get there before sunset," Sasuke said, "That's when most ninjas strike."

"Fine, fine," Naruto crumbled, as he quickly munched on a bit of fish, before rising.

Sasuke gently lifted Sakura back into his arms and said, "Let's go."

Naruto stuffed the fish back into the bag, complaining about starvation, as they started to walk.

"Are you sure you can carry her all the way?" Naruto asked.

"Yes," Sasuke replied, his eyes on the road, when Naruto stopped.

"What?" Sasuke asked, looking back at him.

"Enemy ninjas are coming from west. They got my clone already," Naruto whispered looking to their left.

"How far are they?" Sasuke asked.

"About a mile and closing in fast."

"How strong?"

"Pretty strong," Naruto said.

"Then run," Sasuke replied.

"What?"

"Run!"

The two of them took off. They didn't need to fight if they had two scrolls and right now, with an as good as injured team mate, fighting wasn't a good option. It would be three against two and even if they drank the chakra potions, they'd still just waste time and energy.

They stopped about three miles later, both breathing heavily. Naruto sent two more clones into the forest, hoping to make sure they weren't ambushed.

The tower was so close, barely five miles away. Sakura groaned and both boys looked at her. But she went back to sleep a moment later.

"We need to keep moving," Sasuke said. This forest wasn't safe and sunset was creeping closer by the minute. Naruto nodded, hoping that they made it there safe as well.

"Drink," Naruto said, showing a bottle under Sasuke's nose. He looked at the bottle, before he shifted Sakura's weight on his one hand, freeing the other one for a moment, which he used to drink up the water. He nodded to Naruto and Naruto nodded back. Maybe this friend thing wasn't that bad, Sasuke thought as they moved.

**-Some time ago in the Tower's top office-  
**  
"So Orochimaru is in the Forest of Death," The third hokage spoke, rather calmly.

"Yes," Anko said, "He has returned."

"But why now?" Ibiki asked, "During the exams?"

Anko remembered what Orochimaru had said about new talent. She looked up to see the third hokage staring at her, "He is after Sasuke Uchiha, isn't he?"

Kakashi, who was in the corner of the room, started to speak, but Anko beat him to it. She just nodded.

Kakashi closed his mouth. "What, why?"

"The Sharigan. He's after it," The third hokage spoke, "Do you know if he has a chance?"

"He's an S-class criminal for a reason," Kakashi said grimly, "Orochimaru would even have a chance against anyone in this room."

"If he had the Sharigan," Anko spoke, before she shuddered. Her hand went to her neck. She closed her eyes. "He's still fighting."

"How do you know?" Ibiki asked.

"The mark, he's drawing my chakra from me. I can feel it."

Kakashi sat down onto the couch. Two teams had finished this far and he surely hoped his team would make it as well. But if Orochimaru was after Sasuke, then things were bad. Things were really bad.

"We won't stop the exams," the hokage spoke up. We'll see how it goes. Someone send someone to check the forest."

Kakashi rolled his good eye. Anko started to speak up, but stopped herself and nodded. Then she rubbed her head. 

"Whoever he's fighting with is either strong or he is toying with them," Anko spoke. Suddenly someone spoke into the receiver.

"Team 47 arrived."

Make that three teams, who had already finished. 

Everybody inside the office remained quiet, thinking of different things. Then they started to discuss their battle plan against Orochimaru.

It was about forty minutes later when Anko started rub her neck even more furiously. Ibiki, who had been discussing things with the third proctor, turned around. So did Kakashi.

"Are you okay?" They both asked. Then they looked at each other and glared.

"Fine," Anko said, "He's just draining so much chakra."

"Want some water?" Kakashi asked.

"Or anything to eat," that was Ibiki.

"No thanks," Anko replied, giving both of them weird looks. "I'm fine. Oh and Kakashi?"

"Yes?"

"That boy from your team. The Uchiha. If Orochimaru offered him enough power to do what ever he wanted… would he accept it?"

Kakashi shrugged, "With Sasuke, you never know. He has good reasons to want power, with his brother and all, but he's tough."

But Anko didn't seem to listen. She was trying to concentrate to stop Orochimaru from draining her chakra, when the draining suddenly stopped. The pain in her neck stopped as well and she felt the mark shifting on her neck.

"What the…?"

Again, everybody stopped moving. "What's wrong?" The hokage asked.

"My neck," Anko gasped.

Kakashi, who was the closest to her, slowly slid his hand onto her neck and brushed away the hair. He gasped as well.

"What?" Anko asked, "What's happening?"

"The mark. It's changing," Kakashi spoke. "I think it's either sealing itself or the dark chakra."

"What, why?"The third hokage asked.

Suddenly the radio in the corner of the room, gave them the following message, "Guys did you feel this? The chakra wave was huge."

Ibiki got to the radio first, "Repeat the message please."

"Oh, sorry sir, I meant to say that I felt a magnificent chakra wave in the sector 5B."

"I felt it too," said another voice, "I'm at sector 7C."

"I got it as well," another voice piped in, "I'm at 6A."

"6C got the wave too."

"So did 4D."

Ibiki thanked them for the message before he turned to a room full of elite ninjas, "What could've caused it?"

"When a ninja dies its essence and chakra is thrown around the place," The third hokage said, thoughtfully.

"But it was felt miles away, that ninja had to be one hell of a…" Anko stopped and stared at the hokage, "No, you can't think it was… No way.. Just, no."

"It would make sense," Kakashi agreed, "The mark changing would fit under it."

"No, it's just not possible. None of our guys said that they had seen the target and there are no other ninjas in the forest powerful enough to kill Orochimaru."

"You're forgetting that the forest is full of ninjas," The third hokage pointed out, hoping that Orochimaru's death was the case here.

"They're genin, they wouldn't last ten minutes against Orochimaru!"

"A genin, who's desperate, can do a lot of things," Kakashi said, "I've learnt that over the years."

"Okay, here's what we do…" Ibiki started.

**-Back to the damn forest-**

"Almost there," Naruto said to himself. The tower was barely two hundred feet away. He stumbled and almost fell down, but managed to get his posture right in the last moment.

"Come on, dobe," Sasuke called, "We're here."

"Yeah, I'm coming, I'm coming," Naruto muttered hurrying up. He threw a look at Sasuke and wanted to punch his face in as soon as he did. He was so… cool! He was annoying him with all of his coolness! Right now, he had walked more than ten miles, carrying a girl and he didn't even look tired. No, instead, he was whistling! WHISTLING!

Sasuke never did anything cheerful and when he did, it was meant to annoy Naruto and Naruto knew it. He glared at Sasuke so hard that he didn't notice when he stopped walking and since he was right next to him, he walked right into the tower wall.

"Graceful," Sasuke said, as Naruto got up from the floor.

"We're here?" Naruto asked, eyes wide with awe. "We're here!"

"Oh, come on, we got to go in," Sasuke spoke, pretending to be annoyed with his childish behavior.

They entered the empty room and looked around. Nothing, not even another door. Then Sasuke noticed the huge billboard. It was a clue, which said that they should open both of the scrolls.

"You open them," Sasuke said to Naruto.

"What, why me?" Naruto asked. They weren't allowed to open the scrolls probably for a good reason.

"Because I'm carrying Sakura," Sasuke pointed out, "You don't want me to put her down on this dirty floor right?"

"I can hold her," Naruto offered.

"No," Sasuke said, maybe even too quickly, "She's sleeping, don't interrupt her."

Naruto, murmuring about moronic gits, took the two scrolls and didn't even think about it as he broke the clasps on both of them and rolled them open. They started to smoke and Naruto quickly threw the scrolls away. It was a summoning jutsu.

And the person who was summoned was nobody else, but Naruto's teacher in school and the guy whose headband Naruto was wearing – Iruka.

"Hey," He greeted them cheerfully. But then his eyes fell on Sakura in Sasuke's arms. "She's not dead or stunned is she?" he then asked, with concern in his voice.

"No," Naruto said, "Just dead tired."

"Are you sure, I mean if one of the team members is out of the game then so are the rest of them."

"I'm… okay," Sakura whispered. Then her eyes which had fluttered open for a moment, fell closed again.

"You heard her," Sasuke growled, "Now, we need to see Kakashi."

"Yes, Iruka sensei, it's important," Naruto agreed.

"But…" Iruka started, "Don't you have any questions."

"Questions later, Kakashi now," Sasuke spoke.

When Iruka didn't seem to move, he spoke, "I've been bitten by a guy, my team mate is half unconscious, I just discovered a hidden trait in me, I killed for the very first time today and I'm really moody, so for the last time… Where's Kakashi."

His eyes flashed red for a moment. Naruto grinned at his former teacher, "Sorry, Sasuke is having the time of the month."

"Naruto!"

Iruka just shook his head and suddenly a door appeared. "Follow me," he said.

Naruto followed quickly. Sasuke was after him, Sakura's head resting on his chest, her breathing regular once again.

They walked up some stairs and came to a stop in a big room, full of ninjas. All were giving odd looks to the genins. "The three of them need to talk to Kakashi," Iruka told to a woman behind the desk. She nodded and tapped some buttons. "Anko, ma'am," she spoke into a microphone, "Three genins here to see Kakashi."

She tapped her headphone once, before she shook her head. "They're in a middle of an important meeting."

"We need to see Kakashi," Naruto yelled. Most of the ninjas in the room turned their heads to see them.

The woman tried again and again told them a message Anko had given her, "It's not legal for a genin to be on this level and if you don't leave now, she could get you eliminated."

"WE.NEED.TO.SEE.KAKASHI!"

"Naruto," Sasuke said, "Just shut up and act like a man for once."

That said he sneered at the ninjas staring at him and walked straight towards the door.

"Hey you're not allowed in there," the woman behind the desk yelled as Naruto hurried up to catch Sasuke.

"Like I care," Sasuke replied, as he came to a halt in front of the door. His free hand, which wasn't supporting Sakura, reached for the handle, when a man in the size of a gorilla said,

"You don't want to do that kid."

"Oh, I think I do and if you don't remove your hand from mine, you'll be sorry."

The man had seized Sasuke's hand and was grabbing it, "What will you do?" he asked, smirking.

Sasuke's Sharigan activated and he stared him right into his eyes, "Do you want to know?"

The man released Sasuke's hand in shock and that was all the young man needed to go barging into the room full of Leaf Village's elite ninjas.

Naruto was right behind him of course.

XxXxXxXxXx

A/N – What do you think? Okay this was a long, kind of pointless chapter, but next one will e full of explaining and some humor. Keep checking and keep reviewing. 15 or 20 reviews before I'll post the next chapter )


	5. Explaining

**A/N – Thank for the reviews, blah-blah-blah, you probably want to read the story, right?**

**Chapter 5 – Explaining**

As they barged through the door, most of the ninjas inside of it stared at them in shock. Kakashi shook his head. He had been thrilled when the radio-guy had told them that team 7 had arrived, but now, if they got themselves eliminated…

"What do you think you're doing?" Anko as good as screamed and most of the ninjas, who had been on her bad side even once, cringed.

"We're talking to our sensei whether you like it or not," Naruto said. "Sasuke…"

"Get OUT NOOOW!" Anko bellowed. More cringing by most of the elite ninjas. Sasuke and Naruto didn't even move, but Sakura moaned slightly in her sleep. Only now did Kakashi see her state. But the two boys didn't see him giving them quizzical looks; they were giving glares at Anko.

"Don't wake her up," Naruto said, blinking.

"Yeah," Sasuke agreed, "She's sleeping."

"Exactly. Are you blind or something? Sweet ramen, what does a girl have to do to get some sleep?" Naruto said, looking at Anko like she had murdered someone important.

Kakashi was confused. Since when did the two of them cared that much and since when did they ever agree on something?

Anko stared at them. "What do you want?" she hissed.

"Wow, way to impersonate the snake-dude," Naruto said and most of the ninjas stared at him. "Oh come on, it was kind of like him. Now all you need is pale skin and a freakishly long tongue."

"And you should be dead," he added after a moment, "but you can leave that detail out."

"Naruto," Sasuke growled softly, "Shut up, will you? We need to talk to Kakashi. The mark, remember?"

"Wait, what do you mean I'd have to be dead?" Anko asked, her tone making a complete 180.

"I mean that the snake-dude is dead. Gone like that," Naruto said, snapping his fingers.

"Naruto," Kakashi spoke up for the first time, "What do you know about Orochimaru."

"Ugly bastard, bit Sasuke, got killed by Sasuke, end of story."



Sasuke growled in annoyance, while everybody stared at him. "Great, effing great."

"Close the door," Anko said to Ebiki who did so almost immediately. "Take," she coughed, "Please, take a seat."

Sasuke looked at the armchair and the couch and Sakura in his arms.

"You can put her into the armchair," Asuma, the leader of Ino's team spoke up. Sasuke looked at him for a moment, before sitting down on the couch, Sakura in his lap. As daring for someone to protest he let out a small hn, before falling into silence as Naruto sat down into the armchair.

"So Sasuke, Naruto," Kakashi spoke, clearing is throat as he pocketed his Come, Come Paradise, "Could you start from the beginning of the second task."

Anko started to protest, but glares from everyone else shut her up. She was scary, but then again with the whole group of ninjas, they managed to scare her as well.

"Well," Naruto started, happy that he was being paid so much attention all of the sudden, "When we were let into the forest, we kind of thought to bid our time. Take stuff slow, you know? I needed to, you know, pee, but when I went into the forest to do that, out of somewhere that rain village dude jumps out and ties me up." Kakashi chuckled softly, so nobody could hear. Anko still gave him the evil eye though, so maybe she did hear or maybe she was just pissed they would have to wait to hear about Orochimaru. Doesn't the woman know that **patience is a virtue**?

"He personated as Naruto, but I figured him out," Sasuke continued, in the bored tone, that he always used and which made people think it was patented by him.

"Yeah, anyways, I got loose and went to help and we beat him and he ran off, saying he was alone. Then Sasuke came up with this really long pass-speech, which was… I forgot, but anyways, the three of us got separated and I was hit unconscious… again.

This time Kakashi rolled his eyes, as Naruto continued, "That dude went as me again and told Sasuke the correct password and Sasuke, uh tried to beat him up too, because **I** would **never **remember that password," Naruto glared at Sasuke. "In the meanwhile I was eaten by a huge snake, but I got out using my clone technique."

Sasuke took it as a sign for him to continue. Not looking away from the spot on the wall which he stared, he spoke, "The fake Naruto turned into a ninja from the sound village and we battled a bit, until his face started to peel off."

"Peel off?" One of the ANBU ninjas asked. Everybody shushed him.

"Yeah, it was the same grass ninja with that hideous tongue. But actually it was Orochimaru."

Everybody waited for him to continue.  


"We fought again. The bastard ate one of the heavens scroll just for the kicks of it and then his eyes… It was a mental attack, which brought up the worst memories we had and made up even worse ones, like dying."

Anko nodded, she knew that attack. ****

"I couldn't move and neither could Sakura. So I did the only thing I could to get moving. I stabbed my own leg."

_"So that's where the wound came from,"_ Kakashi thought.

"I grabbed Sakura and escaped. Then the bastard turned into a snake and got ready to strike and I was paralyzed," Sasuke spat out, angry at himself.

"That's when I showed up," Naruto energetically explained, "I was shocked that Sasuke was just standing there, offering to give away our scroll. I was sure he was a fake. So I kind of fought with Snake-face and the snakes he summoned while trying to make Sasuke snap out of it. But I didn't last long alone, since Sasuke was still just standing there and Sakura was too far above to help out. Then everything went black for me… yeah, again, you in the back stop snickering at me!"

"He sent Naruto flying and took our scroll," Sasuke continued, rolling his eyes at Naruto, who was making rude hand signs to the ninja in the back, who found his number of unconsciousness funny.

"Sakura saved Naruto by throwing a kunai which left him hanging by the tree top, instead of falling down all the way and I finally managed to force myself to battle."

"I fought," he said slowly, "And I thought I beat him, but he survived. Then he, he bit me and I fell unconscious some moments later, after he burned our scroll and left."

"Neither of us remembers anything after that," Naruto spoke, suddenly more solemn and only glaring at the ninja in the back. "All we know is what we heard from Lee and Sakura the next morning. Sakura carried us to a hidden place, but that Snake-dude sent his goons to get Sasuke. Sakura was alone and there were three of them. Those, those, pathetic morons. Three of them against one. Those…"

"Naruto," Kakashi said, "What happened?"

Naruto nodded and shrugged it off, as he continued.

"The three sound villagers attacked in the morning I guess. Sakura hadn't slept or eaten for a long time and there were three of them," the blonde boy looked down as ashamed that he wasn't there to help. "Lee went to his aid." Naruto ignored the gasp from Guy as he continued, "But Lee couldn't do a thing. They were too powerful. His hurricane hadn't worked and the Flying Leaf Shadow was powerless."  


"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"

"SHH!" Kakashi glared his old rival, "I'm trying to live the story here."

"What happened next," Yuuhi Kurenai, Hinata's team-leader asked.

"Sakura beat them up," Sasuke said, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "Completely by herself. Took their scroll and everything and let them walk away. She couldn't bring herself to kill them, I think."

"Sakura?" Kakashi asked. "You're saying that Lee couldn't do anything, but Sakura, our Sakura beat them all up?"

"Yeah," Sasuke said, "A mystery that one."

Kakashi noted that Naruto looked uncomfortable for some reasons. "Naruto, do you know anything?"

The blonde boy looked up and shook his head quickly, indicating no. He then took a deep breath and nodded, "But I can't tell. I promised her."

"Naruto," Sasuke started.

"No, listen teme, I'll bet if I asked her about all the stuff the two of you were on about today, then she'd tell me the same thing. That it's your business and it's not her place to tell. Would you want for her to tell?"

Sasuke stared.

"Thought so. I'm not telling either." Naruto crossed his arms and huffed.

"Right, she beat them, then what?" Anko asked, frustrated and clearly not getting the point what it meant that Sakura beat up people Lee could hardly touch.

"Well we were woken up by Ino and Choji. After that their team left and we stayed to camp out for a while, to give Sakura a moment to rest. She needed it desperately," Naruto said.

"Maybe we should put her into a bed in the hospital wing," Kakashi suddenly spoke. The boys looked up.

"No," a small voice murmured, "Fine… here." Sakura grasped Sasuke's blouse a bit more, before she fell quiet again.

"But…" Kakashi spoke.



"She said she was fine," Naruto said, rising from his seat in the armchair and sitting in front of the couch and his team mates, "If she say's she's fine…"

"…then she's fine," Sasuke ended and the two boys glared at the other ninjas in the room, daring for them to disagree.

_"Wow," _Kakashi thought, _"How much can two boys change in a day and a half?"_

"Moving on with the story," Guy said.

"Right," Naruto said, grinning again, "We made a fire and roasted some fish, but we barely got to eat, because our all time favorite snake-face pops by. He did something with his eyes and I felt like I could never be happy. That I was going to die and that everyone hated me. I felt so completely alone."

Naruto spaced out for a moment; while Anko and Sasuke did that as well, remembering how it felt.

"I couldn't move at all and I could only watch as I tried to block out the images," Naruto explained, "Orochimaru was all like "Sasuke I'll give you power, yada-yada-yada."

"Then out of the sudden, Sakura starts to laugh. I swear to god, she laughed."

"She did," Sasuke agreed, quietly, but still agreed.

"I mean I was shocked that she could laugh at a moment like this. She had been affected like we had, but she was laughing and for some reason, it made me feel a bit better. Then she told us to remember everything good that had happened to me."

Most of the ninjas murmured, actually asking how they didn't think of that when against a similar jutsu.

"Then I tried, but nothing happened," Naruto gulped, "I didn't think I had anything good happen to me, except finally becoming a genin, getting this and those two," he said indicating on his headband and the two persons on the couch.

"Yeah, I had the same," Sasuke said, looking at that point on the wall again.

Kakashi felt sorry for them, but there was nothing he could ever do to change the past. He could just be curious about the present, which he was. Trust me, curiosity could kill the cat, but it was torturing Kakashi, slowly and painfully.

"How did Sakura break out of it?"

"No idea," Naruto said, "But then, she um, started to sing, because it was obvious neither Sasuke nor me was snapping out of it. It made me feel a bit better, but teme here, sorry, Sasuke here, he broke 

out completely because of the song."

Sasuke was aware that people were staring at him. He shrugged nonchalantly and said, "My dad sang it to my mum when they got engaged and my mum sang it to me all the time when I was little. When I was reading or when I was hurt or…" he trailed off as if afraid of showing too many emotions.

"Sakura got me out of it as well," Naruto continued as it was obvious Sasuke wasn't about to continue, "She told me to think of all the free ramen I'll get when I become the hokage and when everybody will respect me… Mmmm, free ramen."

Sasuke nudged Naruto with his foot. The blonde's eyes became focused again and he said, "Right, battle. The three of us fought like hell, but he seemed physically indestructible. That's when Sakura got the idea about attacking him mentally."

_"Interesting,"_ Kakashi thought.

"While I used my shadow clones to keep snake-face busy, Sakura and Sasuke were arguing over something and then, uh, Sakura threw a lightning bolt at Sasuke. I did something stupid for I don't know what reasons. I jumped in front of him and well, he then jumped in front of me and then the lightning bolt just disappeared. Poof."

Sasuke explained a bit, "We were arguing about something I may or may not be able to use. She asked me if I trusted her more than a certain brother of mine. I said I did and she hit me with a lightning bolt. Nice trade, I'd say."

"Yeah, but you did get to Mango Snake-face's ugly face off the Earth, didn't you? So stop whining and be grateful for once," Naruto snapped.

Sasuke just did a noise in his throat as Naruto spoke. "My part was to hold the bastard down for long enough so Sasuke could get close. Sakura was completely out of energy and in no condition to fight. So after some time, we managed to get into a right position but Uchiha screwed it up and we got flung back, again."

"I didn't screw it up," Sasuke growled, "It was the stupid mark on my neck. I couldn't activate it. He took away my chakra."

The whole room was listening carefully as if afraid of missing any important details. Even the hokage himself didn't breathe a word. He was too busy praying that whatever these kids did, that it killed Orochimaru for good.

"I couldn't use it and I believed we were done for, when Sakura told me to come closer. I did and she gave me temporarily some of her chakra as well as something else, but that's Sakura's thing to explain. Well, then she passed out."

"And we kicked ass. It took some time, but my clones got to hold him put for long enough for Sasuke 

to use his mango and then it was over."

"Mango?" Anko asked, "What the hell is a mango?"

"A fruit," The third hokage spoke, "I'm rather fond of them."

Sasuke smirked, as he closed his eyes, when he opened them, everybody in the sight gasped, except Naruto who just shrugged, "Big deal, another eye moving stunt that makes him look like a freak with spinning eyes."

"Dobe," Sasuke snapped.

"Teme."

"Dobe."

"Could… cut…off… tired," Sasuke murmured into Sasuke's shirt. The two boys glared at each other but otherwise shut up.

"You can use the Mangekyo Sharigan," Kakashi finally spoke after getting over from his shock, "I'm impressed, but I'm bothered by one thing…"

"Killing my best friend?" Sasuke spoke, finally deactivating it.

"Yes, that'd be it." The rest of the ninjas were quiet.

"Let's say I found a way past that," Sasuke said, "Anyways I used my vastly found gift and I assure you Orochimaru is dead and he is NOT coming back."

"How do we know you're speaking the truth and are not hired by Orochimaru to make us let down our guard?" Anko asked. Everybody turned to look at her. She shrugged under their gazes.

"We got that Heavens scroll from the pile of ashes that was left after he died," Naruto pointed out as he began going through his stuff, "And his headband and this thing." He pulled the two other things out.

"And how should we know that Orochimaru didn't give them to you?"

"Okay," Kakashi said, "That's enough."

"Wait," The hokage spoke, "Could I see this?"

He pointed towards the silvery thingy. Naruto nodded and gave it to him.

"Anko, I can assure you that there was no way Orochimaru would willingly give this," he said after a 

short examination.

"How do you tell?"

"Because this, this is his heart."

Sasuke stared him and almost every other ninja did the same. Naruto stared at his finger wondering how many soaps he should use to get Orochimaru's heart off his hands. Gross, heart germs.

"So Orochimaru is surely dead?" One of the ANBU's spoke up.

The hokage nodded and then everybody burst into cheers, before being silenced by the Hokage.

"This will be under wraps for now. Kakashi, show your team into the hospital wing, if you may," the hokage said as he looked at the two boys, "And young ninjas, know that you have done well. Very well indeed."

As Kakashi walked out of the room with his team, excited chatter broke off. Some pieces, see if you can figure out who they belong to

"They're the first useful maggots I've seen."

"OH, LEE!"

"I think I need another smoke after this."

XxXxXxXxXx

"So Kakashi sensei, where are we going?" Naruto asked.

"To the hospital wing, so you can get checked. I'm surprised you got here so fast and happy the same. Gives you time to heal before the third round." Kakashi was acting all cool again.

In the inside Kakashi was confused as hell. Was this even his team? The team, that couldn't even get two lousy bells from him. The team, who wouldn't work together if the existence of something important, like the universe or even worse, Come, Come Paradise was at stake!

And Sakura, what had happened with her? He could feel it. Something had changed about her. He considered using the Sharigan just for a moment, but thought against it. She's unconscious. He wouldn't see anything. Sasuke had changed as well and so had his chakra, but at least here he knew the reason – the curse mark, which wasn't a curse anymore, since it still supplied the wearer with chakra and could've used for extra power with some training without the slimy consequences.

"Here we are," Kakashi exclaimed.



They walked into a small room with fifteen hospital beds. "Put Sakura on one of them."

Sasuke nodded and placed her on the bed **no. 2** as Kakashi walked out of the hospital wing.

He returned a minute later with a blonde woman in tow. They walked straight towards Sakura's bed, but Naruto stood into their way.

"What did I do in your first class with me?"

"Prove that you were a moron by letting a blackboard sponge hit my head, a really dirty one might I add."

Naruto nodded and Sasuke asked, "Is she trustable?"

"I don't get you guys," Kakashi complained, "You're safe. This is the safe location in the forest and yet you act like anyone could be an enemy, ready to strike."

"I'm so proud of you," he said, shedding a fake tear. Naruto and Sasuke sweatdropped.

"Yes, she is completely trustable by the way. Boys meet Chie, Chie these are Naruto and Sasuke. The young lady on the bed is Sakura Haruno."

The woman nodded at them and they nodded back. She stepped towards the bed and pulled the curtains closed. Naruto stared for a while, before he asked,

"What are they doing in there?"

"It's called an examination, you twit," Sasuke said, rolling his eyes. In about three minutes the woman pulled the curtains open and now Sakura was under the covers.

"She's completely unharmed with the exception of some bruises. Other than that, it's just pure exhaustion," she told them. All three guys were happy to hear that news. Kakashi expressed it by smiling. Naruto jumped up and down yelling Hell Yeah and Sasuke, Sasuke said something really deep, something that makes even the brightest heads think about the importance of the universe. He said,

"Hn."

XxXxXxXxXx

A/N – Right, there wasn't much new stuff in here. Just some reviewing on first chapters. But the next chapter is even better. Find out how the boys act while Sakura's 'hospitalized.' Kakashi get's more confused of the boys' protective acting and corners them about it. Their Sakura watch get's a bit out of hand and some trouble is rising before the third round even starts!

**READ AND REVIEW! PLEASE I LOVE REVIEWS! GIMME, GIMME, GIMME.** You can have the next chapter when I have enough reviews. ''Sticks out her tongue'' Its weekend so if I get much reviews I can write much. Somewhat… Today… Tomorrow's Saturday and since I was sick the whole week I have a lot of homework to catch up with. Groan…

****


	6. Hospital Mischief

**A/N –** Thank you all for your reviews. I love you all and that crap :P Anyways this is kind of short, but it's humorous. I'm up in the middle of the night, because tomorrow's Sunday and I have to study… Aww… Anyways hope you like it anyways, since it's not very important to the story line, but, I wanted to write it.

**To Kiba-and-Sakura-4ever** – I don't know if I'll actually kill the poor old man, but come on, he has to have one hell of a retirement earned out. About Gaara – I can make my own sweet moments if you want :) Just tell with whom he should share the sweet moments :P

To everyone – REVIEW! Please, I update so often. I deserve some, right? Right? ''Enter Puppyeyes here''

To everyone else who doesn't count as everyone [see above – REVIEW TOO!

**Chapter 6 - Hospital Mischief  
**

"So," Kakashi started to speak, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Naruto looked up. The three of them were sitting in the hospital wing, where they were supposedly eating today. _"Food should've been here by now," _Naruto thought and his stomach loudly agreed.

"The curse mark," Sasuke spoke, ignoring Naruto's rumbling stomach. "It's not going away."

"It won't go away," Kakashi said, "And right now, it's a good thing. While it doesn't hurt you to use much chakra anymore, the mark is still working. It's like a seal full of chakra and if you learn to use it, it'll be an advantage."

Sasuke looked interested. But before he could ask anything else, the lunch arrived.

"Here you go," the man said, placing some trays in front of them. Then he disappeared in white smoke.

"Finally, food," Naruto exclaimed, digging in almost instantly. Since there was no way for the finished teams to find food by themselves while in the tower, they were fed by the chef. One more perk for finishing early.

Kakashi stared as his students began to eat. Outwards they hadn't changed a bit, with the exception of bruises that were on their skin and even those were already healing, but their behavior towards each other and Sakura even… What exactly happened in that forest?

He mentally shrugged, deciding to find out a bit later as he also began to eat.  
**  
-About fifteen minutes later-**

"My bum hurts."

Kakashi and Sasuke stopped eating and stared at Naruto.

"What?" The young boy asked, "I've been kicked around a lot in the last two days. I just stated a fact."

Kakashi and Sasuke still stared.

"You can moan about your aching neck, but I can't mention the pain in my bum?" Naruto exclaimed.

Kakashi and Sasuke shared a glance, before they nodded.

Naruto huffed, as he gobbled up more fish.

"How long do we have until the third exam?" He asked, after he gave up on being angry at Sasuke and his sensei.

"A bit over three days," Kakashi said. "Which brings us to this question. Are you going to sleep here or upstairs?"

The two boys said almost immediately, that they would sleep 'here.'

"Somebody has to look after Sakura," Naruto said, as it was completely obvious. Sasuke only Hn-ned _[From now on, it's a word ''sticks out her tongue''._

"Guys, she's safe in the tower," Kakashi explained, again. "Why do you want to 'guard' her so much?"

"She guarded us in the forest, so we like have to return the favor, you know?" Naruto pointed out, as he finally pushed the plate away from him, having satisfied his hunger.

"Sakura guarded you in a forest full of enemy ninjas, man-eating plants, bugs in size of humans and you repay her by guarding her in a secure tower full of friendly ninjas?"

Naruto shuffled his feet, even he seeing the stupidness in that. Sasuke didn't speak, as he stared out of the hospital window. Kakashi shrugged, "I need to talk to some other jounins. The trays will be taken away soon enough and if you want to sleep in the hospital wing, then fine by me."

Kakashi left, leaving the two boys from his team into the hospital. _"They'll see the reason and go upstairs,"_ Kakashi thought as he left, _"They're smart."_

Naruto and Sasuke watched their sensei leave.

"We'll still look after her, right?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah," Sasuke agreed, restraining from adding a "Duh !" like he wanted to. Too many emotions. When he said duh, it was like… Neji stumbling behind a rock and falling into water. It just didn't happen.

**-Dozens of miles away-**

Neji Hyuuga was fishing for his team. He reached out to grab the fish, when he stumbled behind the huge rock and fell flat onto his face… again. Only this time it was into water not mud. He wasn't sure if it was any better as he rose and rasped the water off him, wondering what the hell was wrong with him.

But using his own twisted logic – Once a klutz, always a klutz…

**-Back to the tower-**

Hours passed and Naruto and Sasuke spent them in the hospital wing. It was almost past ten, when they decided to go lay down. Sasuke in bed no. 1 and Naruto in bed no.3. They barely got to close their eyes when they heard someone walking closer, slowly and as silently as possible. They both went tense, waiting for the intruder to make a move.

They heard steps near the bed between the two of them and then they jumped.

"ARGH!"

"WHAA…!"

"What the…"

Naruto had jumped on a woman. The woman they actually knew already. "Chie?"

Naruto quickly pulled off, but still aimed his kunai at her. Sasuke stood by the other side of Sakura's bed, sliding a hand slowly over his face, really close to slapping himself.

"Tell us something only the real Chie would know," Naruto demanded. The woman, nearly having a heart attack from Naruto's jumping earlier, nodded slowly, as she started to breathe again.

It was hard of thinking something she knew and something they knew as well. They had barely exchanged a sentence.

"Kakashi reads Come, Come Paradise," She offered.

"Nu-uh," Naruto shook his head, "Everybody knows about Kakashi's perverted books. Something else."

Chie scratched her head hard enough that her scratching started to affect her brain. Then she snapped her fingers and said, "Sakura has a tiny scar near her left breast, shaped as a heart."

Naruto stared with an open mouth, until he snapped out of it and blinked several times. "Well…"

"Sasuke is she telling the truth?" He asked, not lowering his kunai, but using his free hand to scratch his head.

Sasuke stared at him, not believing he was asking him. "I should know how?"

For a full fledged minute there was a complete silence between the three of them. Chie still half scared to death, Naruto and Sasuke not sure what else to do. Naruto finally nodded, finding a perfect solution.

"Check."

"What?" Sasuke asked, bewildered. Of course it didn't appear on his facial expression. Having a bewildered expression, was as likely as… oh never mind, I'm starting to feel a bit sorry for Neji. Sasuke just didn't do facial expressions with the exception of stoic, bored and some others.

"Check," Naruto repeated as talking to a three year old, "If she has a scar."

"…"

"You check."

"I can't, I'm watching the suspect," Naruto said, an obvious hint of 'Duh' in his voice.

"I'll watch her and you check," Sasuke told his blonde friend.

"Argh, just do it already," Naruto said, "It's not a big deal."

Sasuke stared and stared and… "DO IT!" Naruto bellowed and Sakura moaned a bit in her sleep. None of the three moved, until she descended into sleep again.

Sasuke turned slowly towards Sakura's bed and took a deep breath. Jeez, he just killed an S- class criminal, so why was he feeling so queasy? He gently placed a finger at the neckline of Sakura's shirt and closed his eyes as he lifted the material a bit.

"You can't see the scar with your eyes closed, you moron," Naruto said, annoyed. Sasuke so wanted to punch him right now. Instead, he slowly opened one of his eyes and… he hadn't lifted it up enough. He growled, believing he was getting sick himself. He was feeling hot. "_Probably fever,"_ he thought, as he pulled the material up inch-by-inch.

"So…?" Naruto asked, tapping his leg.

Sasuke saw some skin and a few very lonely freckles. He didn't dare to lift the blouse a bit more, afraid that Sakura would wake up and murder him. Yes, that was the reason. He'll stick with that.

"Argh," Naruto exclaimed, "We'll die in old age before you look, won't we?"

Sasuke closed his eyes again and quickly lifted the shirt up and slowly peeked through one of his eyes. He quickly let down the shirt and turned around.

"Was it there?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke nodded not turning around. "I need a walk, bye."

He quickly walked out of the hospital wing.

"Fine," Naruto yelled after him, "I'll just watch over Sakura here…" Naruto turned around to come face-to-face with Chie, who didn't look too happy. No, she looked rather murderous. Naruto gulped and added slowly, "…If I live long enough."

Sasuke was walking down the halls in the tower, looking for any window… Any anything with cool air. He could feel it. The thing that should never happen with any Uchiha. The thing that was strictly forbidden for him, by well him, was happening. It was disastrous. It should never happen. It just couldn't.

Sasuke took a deep sigh and accepted the gruesome fate. He was blushing.

"Sasuke?"

"ARGHG!" He jumped a good feet high.

Kakashi's eyebrows rose way past his hairline at the sight of agitated Uchiha. Sasuke quickly corrected is posture and pretended that it hadn't been he, who let out the girlish scream. He also turned his back to his sensei.

"Are you alright?"

"Go away," Sasuke spoke, staring at the corner in front of him, his back firmly towards Kakashi.

_"At least he's acting like himself again,"_ Kakashi thought. Out loud he spoke, "Something scared you?"

Though he remained completely quiet, Kakashi took it as a _yes, but I'll never, ever admit it. You'll have to pry it out of my dead cold lips._ That's how Kakashi translated the silence anyways, so he continued,

"What was it? Did Naruto try to sing again? I swear one day…"

"No," Sasuke replied, horrified by the memories. It had been awful. If he was ever tortured then Naruto's singing would be the most efficient way. He knew it.

"What else could it be…" Kakashi pondered out loud, "He walked around in the hospital room naked?"

Sasuke was starting to think that those perverted books were starting to rub off on his sensei.

"Not that either, eh?" Kakashi thought, "Naruto told you he was gay and was into you."

Sasuke's eyes widened. Naruto wasn't… was he? He could feel that the heat on his cheeks had completely faded and slowly he turned around and looked at Kakashi with that look. It was the look with which Sasuke expressed emotions, because Sasuke never showed emotions. It was like Neji falling off a tree, it just didn't happen.

**-Several miles away-**

"We need to rest a bit," Ten-ten spoke up.

"We need the second scroll," Neji spoke, "I say we keep looking."

"Most of the ninjas sleep on the day, I'd say," Lee spoke up, "So they could strike at night. So if we youthfully attacked during the day, we have a bigger chance winning in a youthful way, using our youthful energy more youthfully."

Neji stared at him. His eyes saying silently, "WHAT THE HELL?"

"Fine," he crumbled. "Find a branch hidden enough to sleep on. The ground is moist, probably some kind of swamp or something."

His team mates nodded and they found a place soon enough. As they all got settled comfortably, Neji felt a slight cracking sound. 'What?' There it was again. Suddenly he realized what it was, but it was too late. The branch had broken and he fell.

"Argh!"

He landed into the swamp and felt himself slowly sinking.

"What are you staring," he screamed at his team mates, "Help me out!"

Oh what had he done to deserve such wrath. What did he do wrong? He thought of those things as Tenten and Lee gave him a branch and pulled him out. He was covered with green slime all the way from waist to shoes.

He looked at himself and said, "Bloody effing brilliant!"  
**  
-Back to the tower-**

"What else could it be?" Kakashi asked, as Sasuke rolled his eyes and started to walk back towards the hospital wing. "Did Ebisu harass you? That closet pervert! I'll…"

Sasuke stared at him, wondering if he was for real.

"Not that either?" Kakashi growled, "What else could it be? You're stuck with your team mates in a tiny room… Did Naruto fart or something?"

Sasuke growled, getting more and more annoyed by every moment.

"Sakura couldn't do anything to scare you, right? Unless she was naked," Kakashi laughed, but stopped when Sasuke next to him stopped the growling sound immediately.

"She scared you while being naked," Kakashi offered.

"Sakura was not naked!" Sasuke as good as screamed. A couple of heads popped out from the hallway. Sasuke could recognize one as Kiba and another one, the girl with the fan, as a Sand genin.

"When was or wasn't Sakura naked?" Kiba asked. Hinata looked out as well.

"Who's naked?" The girl, with blonde hair and a fan, asked at the same time.

Sasuke growled and hurried downstairs, Kakashi right after him like taking Sasuke's annoyance as an invitation to play.

"Okay, it wasn't Sakura being naked," he whistled, "Maybe you were naked and she saw you? Nah, she's unconscious… Naruto transfigured into Sakura and got naked?"

Sasuke was pleading for someone to kill him as they entered the hospital wing. He saw Naruto sitting on his bed, looking at Sakura's sleeping form. As they walked closer, Naruto looked up. Sasuke had to smirk,

"What happened to you?"

"Apparently Chie isn't too happy to be jumped on," Naruto said, his new shiner in the size of a fist.

"Ahah, you saw Naruto jump on Chie in a dark room and you got scared!" Kakashi exclaimed. Then he froze, "YOU JUMPED ON CHIE? SHE'S SO MUCH OLDER THAN YOU!"

"Shh!" Both boys shushed him, pointing to Sakura's bed. "She's asleep."

"And I didn't jump on her like you think," Naruto explained, "I literally jumped and what's with the whole Sasuke being afraid of me jumping on Chie thing?"

"AND SINCE WHEN AM I OLD?"

Kakashi gulped and turned around, slowly. "I didn't mean it like that," he said, waving his hands in front of him frantically, searching for a way out. Chie was closing in, with this steely glint in her eyes. Bad sign, Naruto could tell from experience.

Kakashi backed towards the door, "Boys, I have to go… See you in the morning."

And then he broke off running, probably also knowing what the steely glint in the med-ninjas eyes meant.

It was late by now and both boys decided to call it a night. They were in their beds for a while, when Sasuke spoke,

"Naruto."

"Yeah?" The blonde boy asked from the bed on the other side of Sakura's.

"If you ever tell her what I did, I'll kill you," Sasuke said, matter-of-factly.

"You'd never do that," Naruto said, "Right Sasuke? Sasuke? You were kidding? Right?"

He never got a response, because as stoic as the Uchiha was, he was weak against sleepiness. So he slept and he had those beautiful dreams where he was so mighty and powerful that he could do the greatest thing ever.

He knew how to say hn in five different languages!

XxXxXxXxXx

A/N – Well that was a bit shorter and a bit more… pointless than usual, but sometimes a writer must write a complete pointless chapter, so she could laugh a bit :D I was tired and I didn't feel like writing one of those angsty bits.

Btw – Chances are I can't update for the next week. School and more school… If I have enough reviews by Friday I might :) Even before if I manage to make time.


	7. Tomatoes

**A/N –** Wohoo, I managed to do all my homework on the way to the city and back… kind of. I'll study for the music test in the night. So, right now, I get to write a bit and the only reason I'm doing that, is because all of those emails and reviews and alerts… ''sighs'' Thank you for those.

**Chapter 7 – Tomatoes!**

It had been three days since team 7 had arrived in the hospital and Naruto was starting to worry. Sasuke worried too, but he didn't show it nearly as much as Naruto, who kept wailing about losing his good friend and team mate.

Lee's team had arrived a day ago and Lee had joined their small group in the hospital wing. Tenten had come to see him every now and then, but Neji hadn't showed up not once. When Naruto asked Tenten about it, she explained that their team mate completely refused to come out from the bed after he walked against the glass door near the balcony.

The last three days had been less eventful than those before them. The two boys had mostly spent it in the hospital wing and when they left for fresh air, then only one by one, so someone was always near Sakura.

Naruto stood up from the chair and stretched. He shook his head slightly, before saying,

"I think I'll go get some fresh air."

Sasuke only shrugged in response. Naruto's wounds had been completely healed and he was as energetic as ever. Nobody was sure if it was a good thing.

Naruto rose and strode out of the hospital wing quietly since Lee was sleeping in a bed no.10.

As soon as Naruto left, Sasuke's eyes went back towards the window. He had been sitting in the chair next to Sakura's bed for hours, just staring out of that window. Nobody understood what he looked at, but whatever it was, it seemed to keep him busy.

Sasuke slowly turned his eyes after another hour. Lee was still asleep. He wasn't injured either and the only reason his team mates had dragged him here was exhaustion. But then again, he had used his secret jutsu and had been beaten around seriously.

Sakura… Sakura was still sleeping. Three days. She had slept three days, without even waking up once. She seemed to have some bad dreams every now and then, since she trashed around some times, mumbling, but she never opened her eyes. Chie said it was alright and that she'll wake up, but tomorrow they will start the third exam. Though Sakura had no injuries, would she still be able to fight even if she woke up in time?

Sasuke sighed and looked out of the window again. He slowly rose, thinking about sitting on the windowsill instead of that uncomfortable chair, when he heard Sakura groan. He turned his head around sharply and his eyes widened by an inch or two.

Sakura's eyes were open.

Well, a bit open. She opened them a bit more and blinked a couple of times. "Sasuke?" she whispered in a rough voice.

Though Sasuke fought against it with all his might, he smiled in a **_Sasuke_** way. Which meant that the corners of his mouth curled up a tiny bit. Well, he does have a reputation to keep here.

"Hn," he replied. Sakura blinked again. "Whe…" she coughed, her throat completely dry. "I mean…" she coughed again.

Sasuke stood there for a moment, before he shook his head at her and left. Sakura felt a bit hurt that he'd leave just because she couldn't talk properly and her inner self was already thinking of ways to repay him painfully, when he returned.

"Here," he said, placing a cup of water in her hand. She stared at the cup, as wondering if someone was playing a prank on her expense. Finally coming to a decision she tried to get into a sitting position to drink, but it was kind of hard with her one hand under the covers and other one having a cup filled with water in it.

Sasuke reached behind her and helped her up, fixing the pillows, while restraining himself from rolling his eyes. The look he got from Sakura made him wonder if he was usually that bad. He slowly pulled away and sat back onto the chair.

Still eyeing Sasuke carefully, Sakura drank the water. She couldn't feel any genjutsu around him or the water, so she just hoped that this wasn't a trick. She drank up everything and then placed the cup onto her bedside table with a slight bang.

_"Much better,"_ she thought, as she turned to look at Sasuke who was looking at her. "Where are we?" _"Still a bit scratchy though…"_

Sasuke smirked, of course she would get right down to business, "The tower," he replied.

As Sasuke smirked, Sakura felt relieved. It was him after all. When he said they were in the tower, her eyebrows were raised, "The Tower. How did I get here?"

"Naruto and I brought you with us," Sasuke spoke, "We need three members to advance to the third exam, you know?"

"Oh," Sakura spoke, still a bit uneasy. "Orochimaru?"

"Dead."

"Good."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What?" Sakura asked, "I'm happy that the bastard's dead. He had it coming."

Sasuke sat back down at the chair, still looking intensely at Sakura. Sakura felt herself fidgeting under his glaze.

_"You're not interested in him," _Sakura thought to herself, _"You're not interested."_

**"In that case I'm the princess of Thailand,"** her inner responded.

_"I don't like Sasuke,"_ Sakura repeated, ignoring her inner.

**"You're not even convincing me and I'm a part of you**," her inner pointed out. Sakura groaned mentally.

"Naruto?" she asked out loud.

"He went for a walk. He should be back soon," Sasuke responded. Sakura was surprised in the length of his responses today, so she asked, "What day is it?"

"It's the fourth day of the exams. The third exam starts tomorrow."

"WHAT?"

"Lee's asleep."

Sakura looked at the bed across hers and repeated in a whispered manner, "WHAT?"

Sasuke shook his head silently, as Sakura started to rant, still whispering, "One day, preparations, team, what about… and… if."

"Sakura, shut up."

For the first time that sentence was said by Sasuke without any hint of malice or annoyance, just amusement.

"Only five teams are here," Sasuke continued, "Some are still coming and they'll have even less time to rest than you. And you've had plenty of rest."

Sakura looked at him and nodded determinately, before her stomach crumbled loudly. She blushed.

Sasuke looked at the clock, "I'll go and tell the nurse you're up."

Sakura nodded, a pink tint still on her cheeks.

_"Great, I'm embarrassing myself even more_," she thought.

**"What happened to – I'm not interested in him anymore?"** Her inner self taunted her. Sometimes Sakura wished she could strangle it.

"SAKURA!"

Lee jumped up from his bed, his eyes opening with a snap. "I'll protect Sakura!"

"Naruto, you moron," Sasuke came back with a young woman in tow.

"Shut up, git."

"Make me, moron."

"Oh, I will."

"Boys, now, now, calm down," Kakashi said, his nose practically clued into one of those books again. This one was green and had Come, Come Paradise V written on it. "Oh, Sakura I'm glad to see you awake."

Everything was the same as always - Sasuke was smirking, Lee was confessing his love, Kakashi was reading his silly book, the orange blob was heading at her, the nurse was checking her… What? Orange blob?

"Argh!" Sakura moaned, as Naruto jumped at her and started to bombard her with questions, "How are you? Does it hurt? Are you feeling okay?"

"Can't… breathe."

"Chie! She can't breathe! Do something!" Naruto screamed, still hugging her as tight as he could.

Chie did. Naruto hit the floor with a bang. He rose up in a second and started to glare Chie, who grinned at him.

"Thank you," Sakura breathed, her heart rate normalizing. "Naruto, I'm fine. Just hungry."

"Yes, lunch time is coming soon," Naruto said happily, "What do you want to eat? We usually get ramen and chicken soup and bread and…"

The trays came right then, on time as usual. Naruto grinned.

"Wait. You eat here?" Sakura asked, surprised as she sat up more straight.

"They practically live here," Kakashi spoke, STILL reading.

"Why? Were you hurt?" Sakura enquired, feeling out of the loop. Three days. She had slept three days! What if the exam had started and she'd still be sleeping? She couldn't take exams while asleep!

"Not really," Naruto asked, sniffing around the dishes. "I say it's… ramen!"

"You always offer ramen," Sasuke sighed, as he also walked towards the trays. "I say it's tomato soup."

"…"

"Sasuke is there something you'd like to tell us about?" Kakashi asked, raising his eyes from the book for once.

"What?" The boy with raven hair asked.

Naruto raised his hands and started to tick off meals, "Our second meal you offered Tomato Salad, on the third meal you offered Tomato Sandwiches, fourth was pasta with Tomato Sauce, fifth was Tomato Balls with Ketchup, sixth was Tomatoes covered with Grill Cheese, seventh was Tomatoes filled with… oh yeah, Tomatoes and now Tomato Soup?"

Sakura's eyebrows rose. Now that she thought of it, Sasuke always ordered tomato juice and ate A LOT of ketchup.

Sasuke just huffed loudly.

Naruto shrugged, "I like ramen, he likes tomatoes, Kakashi would eat his book, if it made the two of them any closer… So Sakura what do you want for lunch?"

Sakura shrugged, "Right now I'd eat anything."

Naruto mimicked a drum roll as he pulled the cover off the food and his jaw hit the floor. It was tomato soup.

"Told you," Sasuke smirked, grabbing his bowl almost immediately and glaring everybody like they were trying to steal it from him. Sakura shook her head; her entire team was filled with weirdoes.

"Can I have some of that youthful soup?" Lee asked from his bed. He had gone back to it once he realized that Sakura was safe and not marrying Neji as he had dreamt.

"There are six bowls," Naruto said, nodding.

"What if I want more?" Sasuke exclaimed. Naruto stared at him.

"That bowl is in the size of a bucket and you can have a refill from the pot over there." Naruto said. He always ate much, but Sasuke usually only ate about one tenth from Naruto's amount. And this bowl was big enough so Naruto would be probably bloated after two.

Sasuke looked at the pot in the corner. His mouth watered, but he didn't let it show.

"Git, your saliva is dripping on the floor…"

Okay, he wasn't that good at not letting it show. It was just that tomato soup had tomatoes in it. TOMATOES!

Sasuke took his bowl and sat down, starting to eat almost immediately. Naruto shrugged and followed suit. Kakashi helped Sakura with her bowl a bit, before he also started to eat. Lee took the fifth bowl and Chie's bowl was sent into her room at the end of the hospital wing.

For some minutes the room was silent with the sounds of some slurping being heard. Naruto gained a few looks because of the slurping, but he was too busy eating to notice.

"I want more!" Both Sasuke and Naruto yelled after about five minutes. They glared each other immediately. Both Kakashi and Sakura had a sense of déjà-vu, but they couldn't place their fingers on it.

"You better not eat up **my **tomato soup," Sasuke said staring at Naruto who was refilling his bowl in front of him.

"What would you do if I did?" Naruto asked back, dipping the huge pot a bit so the soup flowed into his huge bowl.

Sasuke stared, not sure what he'd do, but these were tomatoes. If he saw tomatoes and couldn't have them, he'd go nuts. If he went nuts, he'd start to dream about tomatoes and those tomatoes would tell him to **KILL!**

Naruto finally finished refilling his bowl and Sasuke got his turn. He took off the lid and stared at the contents, grinning since it was still half full. Just as he put the ladle into the pot, two ninjas popped in and took a hold of the pot.

"Got to feed the librarian," they said and then popped away.

Sasuke stared at the place where the tomatoes had been a split second ago. He blinked, hoping that he had imagined it. When he opened them the spot was still empty.

"WHY, OH WHY? WHY DID YOU HAVE TO TAKE MY TOMATOES!" He cried, falling onto his knees. Tears fell from his eyes as he stared at the spot, which before had been the spot where the heavenly tomato soup rested, but now, it was just eerily empty.

"My tomatoes," Sasuke cried, "My poor tomatoes."

That's what he did in the inside anyways. On the outside, his eyes just twitched. He had a reputation to keep after all.

XxXxXxXxXx

A/N – Short, kind of pointless, but all I could come up with.

Coming Soon – Meeting the competition and the start of the third exam. Stay tuned for the time when I actually write something that matters! WOHOO! R/R!

Really OOC moment, but hey, Sasuke has to have something to live for, right:D

PS: I'm kind of buried under homework here, so maybe if I wake up at 8 am tomorrow, J could write for about three hours, before I start to tackle my pile of homework. If I get done you'll get the next chapter tomorrow. If not… then… umm, someday sound about right.


	8. Gaara

A/N – **My **Gaara is dedicated to Kiba-and-Sakura-4ever. Thank you for giving me some ideas :)

**Chapter 8 - Gaara**

**"How come nobody told us."**

_"Because it was a secret."_

**"But we deserved to know,"** she insisted.

_"What difference would it make, anyways?"_  
_  
**"I don't know… Still, I would've wanted to know."  
**_  
Sakura was having a heated conversation with her inner. While she was sleeping, she had made more stuff clear for herself and now, when everybody else was sleeping, she made things even clearer. It was the early morning. She didn't know the clock, but sun was beginning to rise soon.

She had woken up about half an hour age. She had been dreaming of things Sachiko knew about and the bijuu were one of them. And the Kyuubi was a bijuu... and Naruto was a vessel for a bijuu. She never knew. She didn't even guess. Nine beasts with mythological powers and one of them was inside her team mate. Inside her friend.

She stared at the ceiling some more, trying to figure out how to approach this. Actually many things were explained. Like why people treated Naruto like they did. It made Sakura a bit angry. She had always believed the villagers treated Naruto like that because of the stunts he pulled. He was responsible for those and it was fair. But he wasn't responsible for having a demon fox stuck inside him!

The nine tailed fox. Sakura took a deep breath. She'd do nothing. Just act normal. Naruto had been through a lot, just because the 4th chose him as a vessel. It's stupid and she didn't care.

While Sachiko had collected chakra to make himself visible for people, he had still been able to tap into the real world and gather information about what was going on. That's how he knew. That's how Sakura knew.

And that panda boy.  
**  
"No wonder he looks freaky."**

_"Oh, shut up, will you," _Sakura snapped mentally. Her head was starting to ache because all of the thinking.

**"Come on," **her inner urged, **"I know that you think he looks like a panda with a flat face."**

Sakura was suffering under some serious inner-issues here. Anyways, Sachiko didn't know much about what had happened with the village hidden in the sand, but in his memory was a small conversation between the kazekage and some jounins.

Bastards, all of them. That's all Sakura could think of. Forcing a demon inside an unborn child, without even sealing it, is unforgivable. The effects it could have on that guy…

Sakura pulled the covers off herself. She knew where the bathroom was on the second floor. The one near the hospital wing meant she had to go past the office near it. She didn't want to wake Kakashi or Chie. So she pulled on her clothes, took her bag and walked out of the hospital wing.

As soon as she reached the second floor, she saw a huge clock. It was a bit past 8am. She yawned slightly, before moving on. Everybody was probably resting so they'd be ready for the afternoon.

Finally making it, she stepped into the bathroom, closed the door behind herself and turned around.

"Waah!"

"Oh, it's you," she said, blinking. The panda-guy.

**"Don't call him that, he looks hot."**

_"SHUT UP! PLEASE!"_

She had turned around to see the son of the kazekage. The second vessel she knew about and well, the guy was half naked. He had pants on, but that was about it. His red hair was dripping a bit and his green eyes were narrowed at her.

_"Great,"_ her inner moaned, _"You managed to make a vessel of a demon dislike you."_

Sakura ignored the voice in her head. Instead she was thinking about different things. From what she had heard in that dream, that boy had it as bad as Naruto or even worse. People running from him, ignoring him, hating him…

Taking a deep breath, Sakura decided to act like she knew nothing. It usually worked anyways. He's just a regular cute guy, with a bare chest.

"Sorry," she said, "I didn't know anyone was here."

The boy made no move to respond. "Mind if I use the sink?"

No response again.

Sakura grinned, "I'll take that as a yes." She strode right past him and next to the sink. She pulled a toothbrush and toothpaste out of her bag. While she washed her teeth, she could feel the redheaded boy staring at her. She ignored it. After she rinsed her toothbrush and put it back into the bag, she started to remove the hairband from her hair. It was stuck. She cursed quietly, trying to tug it free. It didn't budge.

The redheaded boy was still staring.

Sakura, already a bit pissed at the boy as well as the hairband, got tired of it and asked, "What? Do I have toothpaste on my face or something?"

The boy slowly shook his head, indicating no, but he still wasn't saying a word.

"Good," Sakura said, "Now, could you help me get this hairband out?"

The look she gained from the boy said one thing and one thing only. _Are you completely crazy?  
_  
"Come on," Sakura asked. "It's stuck and I can't get it out."

Silence ensued.

"Do you have a name?"

More silence.

"Okay, let me get this straight. You won't speak to me, you won't help me, but yet you won't leave. Why?"

The boy merely shrugged.

Sakura grumbled something about brats as she tried to untangle the hairband she had worn to bed the night before.

"Could you just disentangle my hair from the band?"

She looked at the boy, who was doing what he seemed to do rather often. Staring.

"Come on, what's the big deal? Haven't you touched a girl before?" she asked, jokingly. But then, by the look on his face, she started to believe that that might've been the case here. He was a fifteen year old boy for Christ's sake.

"Oh come on," Sakura finally said, "It's not that hard. I'd do it myself, but unluckily I do not have eyes in the back of my head." When he didn't react, she sighed and was about to give up, when Gaara stepped closer.

Sakura looked at the reflection at the steel sink to see him closing in slowly, as afraid that her hair could eat him if he touched it. He didn't look like the tough sand genin Kiba had told her about. More like a scared kid. She didn't say that out loud of course.

He inched a bit closer until he was standing behind her. His hands went to her hairband slowly. Sakura could barely feel it. She stood there patiently for about minute, when the guy behind her growled.

"They're stuck."

Sakura was about to say, 'Hey, it speaks,' but she kept herself at bay. "I thought so," she said instead, "Can you get them loose."

"Hm," she got a response.

It took about two more minutes of fumbling and quiet breathing until Sakura felt the hairband loosen.

"Finally," she breathed, "Thanks… um…"

"Gaara," he spoke. His voice was deep, but it wasn't dangerous, like Kiba had said it would be. It was just serious.

"Well, thanks Gaara," Sakura said, "I'm Sakura by the way."

Gaara nodded and took his shirt and his gourd of sand and left without a word. Sakura looked after him and wondered if he was as tough as he looked. Probably tougher.

Oh well. Sakura locked the door, wanting to make sure, that she didn't end up sharing the bathroom with someone again.

She took a nice shower, while thinking. She seemed to do that a lot lately. She had been right, Gaara was even worse off than Naruto. He seemed so awkward back then. Maybe he really didn't have any friends. Is that even possible? Surely his team mates would be his friends or something.

Sighing, she turned off the taps. About ten minutes later, she was walking back towards the staircase to first floor for some breakfast in the 'huge' cafeteria, when one of the doors opened. As soon as it did, Sakura heard a loud snoring noise. She looked quizzically at the boy who stepped out. He ignored her.

Sakura started to walk. Gaara walked right next to her. She turned to walk downstairs. He did the same.

Sakura turned left. Gaara turned left. They walked straight and then turned right.

"Breakfast?" Sakura finally asked.

"Yes."

"Mm," Sakura replied.

They walked in silence until they reached the cafeteria. It was a small room, with two long tables in it. There was a small stall in front of the room, where food was being served already. Different sleeping habits mean different breakfast times.

Wordlessly the two genins walked to the front and were given their trays. Like always it had a small selection of food on it. Today it was roasted beef, potatoes and sauce. They were also given some tea, three slices of bread, two bananas and two oranges.

Sakura sat down and glared at the bananas. She hated bananas. She scooted them to the edge of the tray and took her fork, ready to dig in, when someone sat across her. Considering that there were only three people in the cafeteria, if you count the cook, there wasn't much guessing who it was.

Sakura raised one of her eyebrows in a questioning manner. He didn't see it though, he was already eating.

_"Is it possible that he's actually seeking some contact here?"_ Sakura wondered_, "Maybe people aren't nice with him everyday?"_

**"Nice? When were we nice?"** Her inner asked.

_"We treated him like normal person. That's nice. Naruto says so and now we know that Naruto knows more about that than us, so SHUT UP!"_

**"Jeez, I was just asking…"**

Sakura looked across the table. His face didn't show many emotions as he ate quietly, but Sakura knew better. If this boy really didn't have any friends, then she'll take it as her mission. She'll become his friend just like she became Naruto's. Because just like her energetic friend, Gaara hadn't had a say in the demon business. Someone had made the decision for him. Someone had made him go through this. Maybe it was worse for Gaara since it had been his father who did so and his demon wasn't sealed, but other than that, the two of them were the same.

"So let me guess, you don't like oranges," Sakura said, between bites. She had noticed that similar to what she had done, Gaara had pushed away the oranges.

Gaara shrugged.

Sakura munched on the potatoes, while looking at the oranges on Gaara's tray. She loved oranges.

As her eyes started to travel from there, she saw Gaara looking at the bananas on her tray in a similar way.

He looked up suddenly, but Sakura didn't avert her eyes. Instead she narrowed them and said,

"I want to make a deal with you." Her voice was deadly serious and her expression grave.

"What?" Gaara impatiently asked when about twenty seconds had passed and Sakura hadn't continued.

"A trade," Sakura continued. Then she fell silent again.

"What trade?" Gaara demanded. He hated waiting.

"My bananas for your oranges," Sakura declared, looking as solemn as they were talking about trading universes.

Gaara blinked. "Fine." He finally said, throwing the two oranges. Sakura caught them perfectly. Grinning she gave him her two bananas.

"Your team mates are asleep?" Sakura asked.

Gaara nodded.

"Sounded like that alright."

For a moment it looked like amusement flickered across his features, but then again, it could've been a trick of light.

"He's a loud sleeper," he said quietly, as he continued to eat. Sakura mm-ed as she drank some of the tea. She put the cup down and asked, "Who was that anyways?"

"Kankuro."

"Kankuro who?"

"Kankuro."

"…"

"Uh, I figured that," Sakura said, "but does he have a last name?"

Gaara shook his head.

"You don't talk much, do you?" Sakura asked.

Gaara shook his head slightly again.

Sakura took a deep breath and continued eating. Suddenly a small bowl of grapes was put in front of her.

"Vitamins for the upcoming battles," the cook said smiling. He also gave one to Gaara. Then he left.

The teens looked at the bowls and together they said, "More fruits."

Sakura grinned at him, while he just looked down again.

"Why are you like this?" he finally asked.

Sakura looked up in confusion. "Like what?"

"You don't know do you," he continued, not paying any attention to her reply.

Sakura finally realized what he was about. "I know enough," she said dismissively. "You ever played throw the grapes?"

Gaara had the look on his face again. The one that said, you're crazy.

"Throw the grapes," he said.

"Exactly. You throw the grape and catch it in your mouth. My grandpa used to play it with me."

Sakura demonstrated by throwing a grape high into the air and catching it with her mouth. She needed to get his mind off stuff like that. She didn't know how it felt to be rejected for things you had no control over, but she doubted it was a good feeling.

She threw another grape and caught it. "Come on, your turn."

For a moment Sakura thought he wasn't going to do it, but then he threw it. It went much higher than Sakura's. She was sure he'd never catch it, but he proved her wrong. He caught it with ease and Sakura stared.

"You've never done stuff like that before?"

"No."

"Beginner's luck," Sakura then said. "I bet you can't do that again."

He did.

Sakura threw her own grape as high as Gaara had. When it came down, she opened her mouth, but instead of falling there, the grape hit her straight into her eye.

Sakura cursed a bit and Gaara smirked.

"Oh, don't you give me that look," Sakura snapped, "I just… miscalculated."

She tried again and once more she miscalculated. In the meanwhile, Gaara was throwing grapes like an expert.

After about five more minutes, Sakura gave up. "Fine, you can catch grapes better than I. Big deal."

"Hm," Gaara said, looking Sakura with mixed emotions.

Sakura glanced at the clock and her empty tray. "Got to go, I guess. I'll see you at the third exam, right?"

She dropped her tray near the counter and when walking past Gaara's seat, messed up his hair affectionately and walked out the cafeteria.

Gaara stared at the door for several minutes, before he took his gourd off and knocked on it. The sand spun around it for a second. So the gourd was still working. He was shocked beyond belief. People weren't usually able to even bump against him without sand interfering. So what was that about?

Wordlessly he got rid of his tray and walked out of the cafeteria, intending to find a quiet place to think. He needed to think. Did she even know? Not likely or she would've run like the rest of them. She'd have ignored his existence until the very last moment…

As he walked out of the halls, the tiny voice in the back of his head started to wake up again. For one morning, he hadn't even felt his presence in his head. One morning full of blissful quietness.

He silently left the hall, secretly hoping that there were more mornings like that to come.

Sakura went back to the hospital wing and was greeted by Sasuke, who was sitting by the windowsill.

"Morning," Sakura greeted him.

"Hn," he replied.

"You've had breakfast yet?"

"Yeah," Sasuke said. "When Naruto wakes up, we should go check out the competition."

"Sure," Sakura agreed. "When Naruto wakes up…"

Sasuke and Sakura shared a look.

"We'll wake him up," Sasuke finally said, as they looked at their friend, who was snoring almost as loudly as that Kankuro guy.

XxXxXxXxXx

A/N – I wrote it tonight. I only have five minutes left until my mom murders me, so I'm posting this fast, since I can't write for days now. Love you! Read and REVIEW!


	9. Preliminaries

**A/N – PLEASE CHECK THE A/N IN BOTTOM! R/R! Thank You ! Love - me :)**

**Chapter 9 - Preliminaries!**

Team 7 was sitting in the cafeteria. There were two other teams in there – Lee's team and Kabuto's team. While Naruto ate, Sakura and Sasuke thought about things. Sasuke thought about the team they had ran into ten minutes ago and Sakura thought about the nine tailed fox – The Kyuubi, which was inside of her team mate.

"So how do you think they got here?" Naruto asked, gulping down his tea.

"Huh?" Sakura asked, her eyes going focused again.

"How did the sound ninjas get here," Naruto repeated, "I saw how wounded they were in the forest."

"Oh them," Sakura spoke softly, before shrugging. "No idea."

"Aren't you worried?" Naruto enquired now, looking at her.

"Why should I be? They're just another team in the exams. No big deal."

Sasuke and Naruto stared.

"Someone had to help them," Sasuke then spoke up, trying to shrug off the feeling that something was wrong here.

"Yeah, they couldn't have healed that fast by themselves," Naruto agreed.

Kin, Dosu and Zaku had made it to the third round. They were completely healed and team 7 knew for a fact that they hadn't been in the hospital wing not once. Sakura suspected that there was someone in the woods working for Orochimaru. That someone would've had to help out the villagers from the sound. Right?

There were a lot of questions Sakura wanted to ask. Like what happens with Sound? Who will become the next leader? Will people be informed that Orochimaru was killed by the three of them? What will the sound villagers do when they find out that their leader has been killed by leaf genins. Would they start a war?

Sakura sighed out loud, gaining a weird look from Sasuke and Naruto, who had been heatedly discussing something.

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked.

"Fine," she replied. "I'm going for a walk outside, okay?"

"Okay," Naruto said, grinning as he ate some more.

"Hn," Sasuke replied, looking at her. "The exam starts in midday at the main room."

Sakura nodded slightly. She glanced at the clock. It was 10:30. There was time.

She slowly walked out of the tower. She looked around. The forest was beautiful around the tower. Of course, now that she was safe from it, she was allowed to think so. She definitely didn't think that while battling for her life.

She breathed some fresh air as she moved around the tower. The area which was safe wasn't that big, but she found a good spot to sit. She stared at the cloud, wondering what the third exam could be. Suddenly she felt a strong chakra approaching. She couldn't exactly hear the person, but her newly found and improved instincts picked up the trail of chakra.

"Hm." Sakura looked around. Who could've said that? She didn't see anyone.

Sakura peeked through the branches below her and yelled out in surprise. She almost fell down the tree she had been sitting on. Gaara was hanging upside-down on a branch near the one she had been sitting on.

"Invisibility jutsu?" Sakura asked when her heart started beating again. Damn, she needed to train the whole chakra feeling thingy.

Gaara nodded, climbing fully on a branch and staring into the distance. Sakura rolled her eyes inwardly. He comes here, sits on the same tree she was sitting and yet he doesn't speak a single word? She'll get him to talk. She made an oath to bring him out of his shell and she'd keep that oath. Or die trying. From the look on Gaara's face and from the stories Kiba had told her last night, both were possible.

"So what are you doing in my tree?"

Gaara looked up at her. His knees were brought to his chest as he leaned against the trunk, seemingly having no trouble keeping his balance. But then again, Sakura was sitting in the same position.

He didn't say anything. Sakura kept looking at him. He looked back.

"Sitting," he finally spoke, turning his eyes back towards the forest in front of them.

The two of them were sitting on the highest tree near the tower. Sakura was sitting almost in the top, where the number of branches was thinning. If she had tried hard enough, she could've jumped onto the ledge near the third floor. Gaara was about a foot or two below her, but still about fifteen feet from ground.

Sakura sighed and looked at the clouds. If Gaara didn't want to talk, she wouldn't make him. But if he didn't want to talk, why was he here in the first place?

A minute passed. Or maybe two or even three. Sakura didn't have a wristwatch, you know and you can't very well tell minutes by the sun.

"Do you know?"

Sakura looked down in surprise. Gaara was still staring far above the forests, his gaze unfocused. The wind was slightly picking up and the leaves were rustling a bit. His red hair was being ruffled by the wind but he didn't seem to notice at all.

She didn't know what to say. She knew what he was talking about of course, but she had no foolproof answer. Sakura bit her lip and glanced at the boy once again.

"Maybe," she answered carefully, "Would you want me to know?"

It took another minute before Sakura saw him shake his head. "No."

"Why not?" She shifted in her position and used a bit of her chakra so she could do so without falling of the treetop. She was now lying on her stomach, looking straight down at Gaara's red head. She couldn't see the look on his face, but she assumed he wasn't in the happiest mood.

Again with the waiting. It seemed that Gaara contemplated every thought extra carefully. Finally he spoke,

"You'd run. Just like everybody else would."

He seemed so sure of it. Sakura felt anger start appearing inside her once again. Still, she didn't let it show. Instead, she said,

"Well, if you haven't noticed yet, I'm not like everybody else. I have pink hair. See?" She flung her hair around a bit. Gaara looked up at her. He didn't smile. He didn't even smirk. Instead he looked grave.

"You don't understand," he said, his eyes narrowing into the position they were when Sakura saw him in the bathroom this morning. "I… I am not normal. I'm a freak. Nobody wants to be friends with a freak. Nobody."

"And you know how?" Sakura asked, suddenly jumping down a branch. She was still higher than he was, but not that much anymore. She looked straight at Gaara, not breaking eye contact for once. The wind tousled her hair as well, but she didn't care right now. Instead she kept looking.

Gaara's eyes narrowed even more, but he didn't say anything. Sakura sighed inwardly.

_"He's socially handicapped."_

**"You think?"** her inner asked back.

"Am I nobody?" she asked out loud.

Gaara's eyebrow scrunched a bit at the weird question.

"Okay, let me rephrase that," Sakura said, her legs tangling over the huge branch she was sitting on. "Would you like to be friends with a nobody?"

"That's… that's not what I meant."

"That's exactly what I heard," Sakura said, grinning by now. You just have to love the twisted logic of teens. "Which means that since I am not a nobody, then I'm allowed to be your friend."

"But you…"

Sakura had always been a bit aggressive. Around everyone but Sasuke that is, but right now, she wasn't with Sasuke, so she interrupted rather rudely.

"But nothing. It's my business who I'm friends with and who I'm not," she crossed her arms and glared, "You got a problem with that?"

Gaara growled slightly.

Sakura still glared.

Gaara looked away.

Silence

"I'm not human."

"…"

"What?" Sakura asked, staring at Gaara, who'd just declared he wasn't human.

"Not completely anyways."

"What do you mean?" She jumped another branch and now was sitting across Gaara. The boy's face was turned away from her, but she could see he looked… angry? Afraid? Relieved? Something…

"There's a reason everybody is afraid of me," Gaara was still staring towards the forest. "I'm a monster."

Sakura didn't know how to respond. Should she joke about it? No way. Maybe she could pretend to be shocked, like she didn't know. Not helping. Act scared? Nu-uh… What was she going to do?

Some time passed and Sakura was still trying to think for a good way to express her own thoughts. Her inner, that was giving her some really stupid ideas, wasn't helping either.

"Why are you still here?"

"Mm?" Sakura looked up. Gaara was staring at her again. Damn, that boy stares a lot.

"Because I was here first?" she offered.

Gaara looked around. "You can't force me to leave."

"Who was forcing you to leave?" Sakura asked surprised, "I'm fine with you being here."

"Didn't you hear me?" Gaara asked, staring her. "I'm a monster. A real monster. There's, there's a… demon in me."

"So?" Sakura asked, twiddling with a leaf.

"So?" Gaara repeated with a shock.

Sakura mm-ed. "Yeah, that's what I said. I don't honestly care about that."

Gaara looked like a gust of wind could blow him off the tree. "You don't?"

"Nope," Sakura said, inwardly cursing anyone who made Gaara so uncertain. He looked fragile. Like every word she said would affect his whole existence.

"Maybe you didn't understand," Gaara said after another minute of silence. Sakura smiled slightly.

"Gaara, I understood fine. It's just that I don't care about that," she said.

Gaara blinked. His inner demon hadn't spoken not once through the whole day. Well if not to count the short time after breakfast. He had been able to ponder about Shukaku, the demon inside him. There was a seal on his back. A woman had put it there when he was born but it had never worked. The seal was no use.

_"It'll seal the demon and take away the pain_," his uncle had once said, _"You'll just need to heal the tricky wounds."_

He had said that a night before he had died. A night before Gaara had killed him.

His eyes went back to the forest. The words had never made any sense to him. He didn't even have wounds. Nothing was able to injure him. So the question was, what would he have to heal?

At first he had tried everything to make the seal work. The demon inside of him made him afraid. It hurt him. But after a while he gave up and learned to accept the occasional pain and haunting voices. Sometimes he was able to stand up to the voices. Sometimes he wasn't.

He hadn't even thought of the stupid seal for a long time. If it didn't work there was no use of it anyways. But this morning he had thought of it… a lot. It still didn't make sense though.

"Gaara."

He looked towards her. Sakura smiled slightly. "Are you okay?"

Gaara nodded. His head ached a bit.

Sakura looked at the sky some more. By the position of the sun, midday was starting to close in.

"The ninjas from the sound village," she spoke, staring at the clouds. "I fought them, I wounded them, but yet they are completely healed. How's that possible?"

She didn't get a response. Not that she had waited for one anyways. Gaara was a guy with few words. She didn't know how long they sat on the tree nor did she care. The silence wasn't awkward, it was kind of comfortable. Gaara kept glancing at her every now and then as expecting for her to scream and run every moment now. So far, that hadn't happened.

"GAARA!"

Both Sakura and Gaara looked down at once. A blonde girl was frantically running around the tower.

"A team mate?" Sakura asked quietly.

Gaara nodded.

"You're going down?"

The boy looked at her this time and shrugged. "Maybe."

"Sakura!"

That was Naruto. Sakura looked towards the side of the tower, where the blonde girl and Naruto were staring at each other. She didn't hear what they said, but they departed soon enough.

"Sakura! The exams are starting!" Naruto screamed from the top of his lungs. Sakura rubbed her head at the look on Gaara's face. _"Hyperactive as always…"_ she thought.

"I think we should go," she said to Gaara, who nodded. As she started to descend, Gaara quietly said,

"The guy with a ponytail and glasses healed them." Then a whirlwind of sand surrounded him and a moment later he was gone. It took a moment for Sakura to realize what he had been on about. She climbed down the tree and joined Naruto.

"Finally," the blonde boy sighed in relief, "I thought you'd never show up. Where were you?"

"Around," Sakura answered, grinning.

"Around?" Naruto asked. When Sakura didn't elaborate, he continued, "Anyways. The third exam starts in five minutes. We should be in the main room by now. Come on."

Together they hurried back into the tower. They joined Sasuke's side in the line up. Seven teams had made it. Only seven. Out of seven three were just rookies.

Sakura was surprised that Ino had made it here. But then again she had been one of the best kunoichis in the academy.

"Where were you?"

Sasuke was staring at front where their examiners stood, along with a lot of other ninjas as well as the hokage himself. While he spoke he didn't look towards her, but Sakura was sure that the question was meant for her.

"Outside," she responded. Sasuke looked emotionless as always, but asking was a sign of caring.

**"He probably cared because he doesn't want to be eliminated, since you're missing."  
**  
Sometimes Sakura hoped her inner wouldn't exist. Somehow it always said the correct depressing things.

Sakura also looked towards the front, as Sasuke responded,

"Hn."

Sometimes Sakura wanted to grab his shoulders and shake him. He had been so… nice through the last few days and now he was being so… irritating. Hn, Hn, Hn… Oh, she'd give him a taste of his own medicine!

"Do you think they'll start soon?" Naruto asked.

"Hn."

"Mm."

Sakura was checking out the six other teams. Kabuto's team, which was completely quiet and stoic. So that man had healed the sound villagers. Did that mean he was on Orochimaru's side?

Hinata's team was chattering to themselves. Akamaru had hidden itself in Kiba's jacket for some reason and was shuddering in there, while Kiba threw looks at the sand genins. Hinata was glancing at Naruto every now and then, but when she saw Naruto looking back, she quickly looked down and blushed beet red. Naruto shrugged and turned his attention to the front of the room.

_"Damn he is so blind_," Sakura thought.

Sakura turned towards Lee's group. Tenten was spinning a kunai in her hand, while Lee was striking the 'pose.' Sakura grinned. Neji… Neji was eyeing everything as a potential threat. Keyword – everything. It was like he believed every floorboard was his enemy since it could make him stumble.

Sakura started to believe he might be a bit too paranoid. But then again, from what she heard from Lee and TenTen, he might've had a good excuse.

Shikamaru was looking like he'd fall asleep on his feet, while Ino kept talking and talking and talking and Choji kept eating and eating and eating.

_"Do they ever stop?"_ Sakura thought.

**"Probably. Choji needs to swallow sometimes. Right?"**

_"And Ino?"_

**"She'll have her moments… Like when she's unconscious or something…"  
**  
The sound ninjas and sand ninjas were all quiet. Gaara's team mates kept giving him long glances, but he didn't seem to care. He looked at her for a moment and she gave him subtly the thumbs up sign. He didn't seem to get it.  
**  
"Can you say socially handicapped?"  
**  
_"Shut up."_  
**  
"Seriously, he seems to have some issues."**

_"Firstly- issues oh really? I didn't notice at all. And secondly – Shut up!"_

**"Gotcha!"**

_"…"_

"Sakura."

Sakura turned, managing to stop herself from speaking just in time. "Mm?" she said instead.

Sasuke didn't take the bait. "It's starting…"

"Mm."

"I thought you weren't paying any attention."

"Mm." She won't tell him he was right. She just won't. She crossed her arms, indicating for him to continue. He didn't. He just gestured to the hokage, who had walked in front.

Then he started to speak about the real reason why chuunin exams were held in the first place. He went on and on about them, until Naruto asked,

"Is this the third exam? Do survive this… torture?"

"…"

Everybody stared at him. The older ninjas anyways. Most of the genins seemed to agree.

"Well listen up then," the hokage said, after he had stopped glaring at Naruto. He was about to explain them what the third exam was about when a man appeared. A jonin, Sakura guessed.

"Lord Hokage, please allow me to speak first."

"More speaking," Naruto crumbled. "When can we hear about the third exam?"

Only Sakura heard him. She rolled her eyes, giving her attention to the strange man.

"There's something I need you all to do before the third exam."

Everybody waited.

"Um," he coughed, "We need to have preliminaries before the real third exam."

The genins started to mutter all at once. They kept talking until Anko silenced them, using her extremely polite ways. [Hint – she said maggots three times

"Preliminaries?" Tenten asked.

"What?" Shikamaru shouted, probably waking up just now, "Why do we need preliminaries for?"

"We didn't expect so many of you to be here," the man spoke, coughing some more, "So we're holding preliminaries to reduce the number of you."

"So many? Only 7 teams out of 26 passed!" Kiba protested.

"Is it even fair?" Ino asked.

"We are allowed to hold a round of _cough_ preliminaries any time we want to reduce the number of genins," the man replied, "Like Lord Hokage said, we cannot _cough_waste the time of the important people who're coming to see the final exam."

"Hn."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Mm."

Naruto stared between the two of them, before saying, "Ss?"

Both Sakura and Sasuke stared at him. He grinned sheepishly. "Another letter combination then?"

"Hn."

"Mm."

The two turned their attention back towards the man. Naruto scratched his head, but did the same.

"So if any of you feel like you're not in the top _cough_physical condition," the proctor spoke, "then now is the time to _cough _quit."

"The preliminaries will start immediately." He added.

"What?" Ino asked, "But we barely finished the second task. We don't get to rest or anything?"

"Your own fault if it takes forever for you to finish," Gaara's team mate, the girl with blonde hair, spoke.

"Why you…"

The proctor coughed again. Ino stopped glaring the other girl and turned towards him.

"So if anyone wants to quit, then now's the time to raise their hand."

Sakura blinked. Nobody would want to quit now. After being in that forest and all. Who'd in their right mind…

"I'm out I guess."

Heads turned. That Kabuto guy just quitted?

"Right, you can leave," the proctor said after checking his name on the list. Kabuto did so.

"Weird guy," Naruto muttered. Sakura had to agree.

Kabuto walked out, smirking. He didn't need to go through the third exam. His master, Orochimaru, only needed him to collect some more data on the teams. So, Uchiha had completed the test far sooner than expected, but he still had collected more info on that sound team. After all, he had healed them. Some info in return is only polite.

Inside the room, the proctor asked if anyone else felt like going. Nobody spoke. No hands were raised.

Behind the proctor the hokage was speaking with some other ninjas. They were speaking about Kabuto as well as something else.

"So there are 20 of you cough," the proctor spoke, "That means we will hold ten battles. As you can figure the top ten will get to take the third exam. The preliminaries consist of ten one-on-one battles. There are no rules, you'll fight until one dies, admits defeat or is unable to continue the fight. In the latter case I will stop the fight. The winner of the match will proceed to the final exam."

"The opponents are chosen randomly using the display on that wall." As he spoke, Anko contacted someone using her microphone and a huge screen was revealed. "But before we reveal the first pair… Lord Hokage?"

_"So he was informed after all," _the hokage thought as he stepped in front once again. He looked at the 20 ninjas in front of him and spoke,

"A incident took place in the forest of death which I have to inform you of."

Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto abruptly stopped paying any attention to anything but the hokage.

"An S-class criminal was in those woods."

Kabuto's team mates seemed to smirk. The sound villagers looked more… shocked?

"It appears that the S-class criminal, namely Orochimaru, went after a genin from one of the teams, but he met resistance," the old man couldn't help but smile. His own apprentice or not, it was good to have him gone. "And the resistance killed him for good."

The expressions were priceless on Kabuto's team mates. The sounds looked more shocked than ever and even the sand genins didn't seem completely unaffected. But then again, nobody seemed completely unaffected.

"Was there ANBU teams in the forest?" someone asked.

"No. the resistance wasn't ANBU or any other high level ninja. In fact Orochimaru was killed by the team he tried to attack."

"A genin team?" Shikamaru asked, shocked. Everybody had heard of the sound village and their unofficial leader. He was supposed to be strong, being one of the three legendary ninjas and all.

"Yes," The hokage affirmed, "and for killing an S-class criminal, who was in a rather high place in the bingo book of Konoha's ninjas, those three genins shall receive a monetary reward as well as a medal. Also, with the consent of all three proctors, for the very first time in the history, a team is given a choice whether or not they participate in the preliminaries or move straight to the finals.

_"A choice?"_ Both Sasuke's and Sakura's minds thought the same time.

_"Monetary!"_ Naruto's mind screamed.

The whole hall was buzzing again as everybody tried to figure out who the team could be. Most suspected the sand genins; some thought it was a joke. The sound genins looked thoroughly shocked, not knowing what was happening to their homeland right now. Kabuto's team mates looked like someone had told them that sky was green with purple polka dots. A genin team had beaten their master? It was unbelievable.

"Guys," Sakura whispered, "What do we do?"

"Take the money," Naruto whispered.

"You moron," Sasuke said, "She's talking about the preliminaries."

"Oh," Naruto said, understanding dawning on his face. "We still get money though, right?"

"Mm," Sakura said, smirking slightly as Sasuke looked at her for doing so.

The boy didn't comment, but his eyes lingered on her for a small time, before he asked, "So what do we do?"

Sakura didn't respond. Gaara was looking straight at her with a questioning look in his eyes. Sakura wasn't completely sure if he was asking what she thought he was asking, but she nodded slightly anyways. Gaara nodded right back, his expression unreadable.

"So if we skip the preliminaries, we all get to the third exam," Naruto said, to clear stuff up. "So I say we go for it."

"But we wouldn't be able to test our powers in the preliminaries," Sakura pointed out, "Also then it's likely that 11 people will make the finals and then many should fight double."

"So we don't skip," Naruto said.

"Then we all might not make it to the third exam," Sakura spoke. She faltered. Who was she kidding? Sasuke would make it. Naruto as well. It was herself she was worried about.

"Then we skip," Naruto offered. Come on it was 50/50 chance he'll offer the right answer.

Sasuke seemed to read Sakura's mind once again, as he asked. "Are you up for it?"

Sakura looked at him. He actually let her decide. After a moment, she nodded. It was slow at first, but her confidence grew. She had changed in that forest. She knew it and now was the time for everybody else to learn the lesson as well.

XxXxXxXxXx

**QUESTION – [I'm putting it here because most of you probably skip the A/N-s I've been thinking… If Sakura makes it to the third exam, should she train with:  
**  
a) Go to the Sand village and train with Gaara. Shock everyone's faces off while being his friend and help him make his seal work. [turn him kind of normal just for the kicks of it  
b) Train with Deidara or Sasori. Became kind of friendly with them and when the Atatsuki come we can have some fun lifts her eyebrow  
c) Stumble onto Tsunade somewhere and somehow persuade her into training her. Which means she'll come back into the village with her, make a fool out of herself while cheering for Sakura and later become the hokage. [Since the third is too old and wrinkly to be a kage

Honestly I can't decide. If you won't help me –** I WON'T WRITE[**

XxXxXxXxXx 

**A/N** – Long time no see, people. Okay, this chapter had a bit more Gaara again, but the only reason is that the exams only last a day. Means that Sakura has to be a bit friendlier with Gaara, since time is money, people! MONEY! Fine, I won't stress money… I WANT MONEY! But I don't get money for writing, I get reviews… Which means, I'll stress **REVIEWS! GIMME!**

Well about the reward. It's kind of logical they'd get something out of this. Not every day a dangerous criminal is killed by a bunch of fifteen year olds. Besides Naruto needs money for more ramen. I still haven't figured out how he can afford any.

Now, the chapter wasn't very funny or detailed, but it was longer than my last ones. Thank me by **reviewing!**


	10. First Fights

**A/N** – You guys aren't helping here A or C… A or C… What am I going to do now :D Fuse it all together somehow, of course. I'll make it work – Believe it!

**Note** – This is not Gaara/Sakura fic. It's more like Sakura being his first friend fic. The one, where she reaches out with her cheerful, friendly way and sees Gaara as a human not as a human vessel. Since Gaara needs to heal the 'tricky' wounds… She's perfect :) [Btw- you probably have figured out what heals the tricky wounds... Right?

**Another note:** I decided to have a small Sasu/Saku moment, before they get separated for a month. Bare with me.

**Chapter 10 - First Fights  
**  
Sakura nodded. Sasuke nodded to Kakashi, who nodded to Anko, who gave the hokage the response.

"20 people in preliminaries it is," the hokage called out. The buzzing stopped and people looked around, trying to locate the team, who had evidentially agreed to participate in the preliminaries.

"Your rewards shall be given you after the preliminaries. Good luck."

The hokage stepped back and the coughing jounin said, "The first two fighters shall be determined now."

People stopped looking around for teams able to kill Orochimaru and concentrated on the display. Names started to flick past. The quietness was deafening. And then the names were chosen – Sasuke Uchiha vs. Yoroi Akado.

Yoroi, evidentially one of Kabuto's team mates, smirked at Sasuke, who only hn-ned in response.

"The two selected ninjas should stay in the middle of the room. Others – move onto the upper level. Most ninjas started to climb the stairs, while Gaara chose to travel by sand again. As everybody had done as they were told to, the proctor coughed and spoke, "If you're ready, then let the match begin."

Sasuke had been tracing the mark on his neck silently. It hadn't affected his chakra through these past few days since Orochimaru had died. Kakashi had said he could use it for his own advantage and all, but was it safe **now**? What if he couldn't use his chakra at all?

As the other ninja started to charge towards him, Sasuke came to a decision. He'd risk it.

"Fireball jutsu!"

Thank god. Everything was in order.

Yoroi jumped back, obviously a bit surprised. Sasuke smirked, "What? Already feel like giving up?"

In the upper floor, Sakura eyed the match carefully, not missing anything. That jutsu that Yoroi had used… The hand seals were etched into her mind. All she needed was to see what they actually did.

She gave the match her whole attention. Sasuke was taunting him… Well, that Sasuke for you.

Then Yoroi charged again, this time managing to hit Sasuke with his hand. Sasuke jumped back, surprised by the feeling.

"He drains chakra," Sakura muttered, making a mental note to research it later.

"Sakura?"

Sakura blinked. She then turned to Naruto. "What?" she asked.

Naruto looked at her closely for a while, before he scratched his neck, "Never mind, I thought your eye was spinning for a moment there."

Kakashi leant closer. _"Spinning?"_ he thought.

But if he hoped for an answer it sure didn't come. His students both shrugged and returned to the fight.

The fight lasted for two more minutes after which Yoroi laid on the ground, her clothes a bit scorched. Sasuke hadn't even used the Sharingan.

"Good job," Naruto cheered as Sasuke walked to them. He shrugged and just as he was about to say "Hn," Sakura beat him to it and said, "Mm."

He looked at her. This game was starting to get on his nerves, but he sure as hell won't back out.

"Hn," he replied.

Sakura smiled, slightly, her eyes nailed onto the display where names were flashing by again.

Shino vs. Zaku.

Sakura sighed. A small part of her had wished it had been her. But again she automatically saved every move she saw into her memory. Of course she wouldn't be able to use them, since she didn't have any bugs or holes in her hands where sound could come out. But recording them seemed natural.

Shino won the battle after a while. While Zaku had been good, Shino had obviously been better.

Sasuke had been looking at Sakura from the corner of his eye. For a moment it had looked like her eyes spun, but when he blinked, the movement was gone.

There were so many answers he had to have. Through the days Sakura had been awake, she hadn't talked much. More like think. Every other time Sasuke looked at her, she seemed to be deep in thought. He looked a lot. Not that he'd ever admit it to himself.

_"She is like a puzzle,"_ Sasuke thought, _"Like a big jigsaw that portrayed a huge tomato."_ He would have to solve the jigsaw to actually get the tomato and oh, how he wanted that tomato.

He glanced at her again. She was looking at the display. _"How did she beat those sound genins? How did she break out from Orochimaru's paralyses? How did she know THAT song? How could she give him a memory from using the Mangekyou Sharigan like she'd used it first hand? How did she even know about Mangekyou Sharigan?"  
_  
Suddenly Sakura looked up at him from the floor, where she had been crouching on while trying to get the best possible view on the match. The names had been chosen – Kankuro vs. Misumi Tsurgi.

She had looked up because she'd felt his gaze. His eyes didn't move away. No, instead he looked even more intensely.

"What?" Sakura finally asked, standing up, but not breaking eye contact. She wouldn't blush. She wasn't like that anymore. She's not interested in Sasuke.

**"Here we go again… denying stuff,"** her inner said. Sakura did what she'd done a lot through those last few days. She ignored the voice.

Sasuke shrugged. Then he turned his head slightly, seeing a passageway. He thought about it for a few seconds. Then he walked next to Sakura and said, his lips barely moving,

"Follow me."

Sakura looked at the match that was about to begin. "But…"

Sasuke took her hand and started to move. Sakura, not having much choice, walked with him. Throwing last glance at the people on the upper floor, she entered the hallway with Sasuke.

It was dark, definitely, but not dark enough for them not to see. Slowly Sasuke moved, trying the handle on the first door. It was locked. So was the second door he tried to open. The third one was unlocked. Inwardly he cheered slightly. Outwardly he seemed passive.

He walked into the room, his hand still holding Sakura's. Of course, that meant she had to walk in as well, since Sasuke didn't seem to even think about releasing her hand.

Sakura looked around. The room was practically empty. Only a small table in the corner of the room and a broken cupboard in the other corner. There was a small window though, which made the room a bit less depressive.

Sasuke finally released her hand. She looked at him again.

"Why did you bring me here?" she then asked. Sasuke, whose back was turned to her, then spoke,

"I need answers, Sakura."

Inwardly Sakura groaned. She knew it was coming. The only problem was that she had absolutely no answers. She had been trying to figure stuff out. She really had. Days and nights, but she had no access to a library or anything else where she could get some answers. The only thing she had was her own mind and knowledge. She had a lot of the latter now; the only thing was that she couldn't find the knowledge she needed.

Outwardly, Sakura stepped towards the door, "I don't have any."

"Yes, you do," Sasuke spoke, "Naruto wouldn't tell me what freaked him out in the forest, but you can. Right?"

Sakura shook her head and turned around, starting to head towards the door, "I can't."

Suddenly someone grabbed her hand. Since there were only two people in the room, she wasn't very surprised when she found out it was Sasuke.

"Tell me," he ordered. Then his eyes soften a bit, "Please."

Sakura tugged at her hand. He wasn't overly using his strength. He wasn't hurting her at all, but the firm way he held her hand made her believe she wouldn't get loose with just tugging.

"Sasuke," she spoke, "I don't have answers."

She then disappeared from Sasuke's grasp with a small poof and kind of hurried towards the door. Sasuke was faster though. He stood in front of the door and grabbed Sakura, moving her against the wall next to the door and holding her hands above her head. He made sure her hands were back to back so she couldn't use any jutsus.

"You can't," Sasuke whispered, "You can't say that you don't have any answers."

Sakura looked up at him. Damn she hated being short in times like these. He was standing right in front of her, his breathing irregular. The look in his eyes. She had to respond. But then again, what would she say?

Sasuke looked at the girl in front of her. Though he didn't let it show, he was concerned that he might've hurt her, while pushing her against the wall. He hadn't wanted that, but all those years he hadn't even spoken about his mother and Sakura… she just…just…

_"Maybe I should let her go,"_ he thought, _"What if I** am** hurting her?"_

_"But I need answers,"_ he thought in response.

Sakura was so close to him, that she could hear her breathing. He spoke quietly, "Am I… Am I hurting you?"

Slowly, Sakura shook her head. "Not really."

They were quiet for another few long moments.

"Are you going to let me go now?" Sakura asked.

This time it was Sasuke who shook his head.

"I need to know," he said, making eye contact with Sakura once again. Maybe I could use the Sharigan to hypnotize her and try to get the info that way? Sasuke hit himself mentally for even thinking about that.

"You wouldn't believe me if I did tell you," Sakura finally spoke. She had her strengths of course, but while pressed between a cold wall and Sasuke, standing up to him wasn't one of them. He leaned closer to her a bit until there were only few inches between them.

"Try me."

Sakura was surprised that Sasuke couldn't hear her heart beating like a damn tambourine.

"I…"

Sasuke looked at her expectantly. He was a bit closer than he intended, but for some reason, he wasn't to keen on pulling away.

"I…" Sakura started again, this time with a stronger voice.

"Hm."

Both Sasuke and Sakura looked towards the doorway. Gaara was standing there, his sand swirling around him a bit.

Sasuke automatically released her hands. As they fell limply onto her sides, she spoke, "Gaara."

She took a step towards the red headed boy, when Sasuke reached forward, as trying to stop her. Suddenly a wall of sand materialized between them. Sakura blinked. Even Gaara seemed a bit surprised that his sand had reacted that way.

Sasuke didn't seem very happy.

"Sakura?" he asked, "Do you know him?"

"Yes," Sakura spoke, "He's my…"

Gaara and Sasuke both looked at her, interested how she'd put it. Gaara for some reason believed that she had lied about being his friend, so he wouldn't harm her. He wouldn't blame her. Actually he'd be surprised if she'd admit being friends with a monster in front of somebody else.

"… new friend."

In your face Gaara. The aforementioned boy tried not to show his surprise and succeeded pretty well. Sasuke turned to Sakura,

"Didn't you hear what Kiba said? Sakura, he is a…"

"Not more than you or me are," Sakura interrupted. Her tone then softened, "Sasuke, those answers you're after... I don't have them. Not yet. I need time."

"Time?" Sasuke asked after a moment. "How much time, Sakura?"

"A week, maybe two or…" Sakura trailed off.

"Or more?" Sasuke ended for her. She nodded hesitantly. He looked distant.

"I can give you some time," he then spoke, while Gaara kept looking between the two of them, as trying to figure out what was happening. Sakura sighed in relief, but then Sasuke continued, "But I need answers one day. Sakura."

The pink kunoichi nodded, "And one day you shall have them from me."

Sasuke nodded slowly before he looked at Gaara. "You. What do you want?"

"The fourth battle is beginning."

"So?" Sasuke asked, annoyed that Gaara had interrupted the only chance he had for answers. Now he'd have to wait. He hated waiting. But then again, sometimes things were worth waiting for. Sasuke wasn't just sure if this was one of them.

_"Tomatoes are things worth waiting for,"_ he though.

_"If I can wait for tomatoes, then I can wait for answers. Right?"_

"It's a girl named Ino," Gaara continued. Sakura gasped. She didn't want to miss that. "Against you," the redheaded boy added.

Sakura's mouth opened silently. "Me?"

Gaara nodded.

Sakura threw a look at Sasuke and then hurried off. Gaara turned to leave, when Sasuke stopped him.

"You better not try anything weird with her," he warned. Gaara looked at the boy in front of him.

"Like what?" he asked.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, the Sharingan flickering in them for a moment, "Anything weird. If you hurt her…"

Gaara didn't speak. It was that feeling again. That Sakura was a girl who many cared for. And now, that girl wanted to be friends with _him _from all people?

The feeling wasn't something Gaara recognized. Maybe it was wonderment, maybe it was caring or maybe it was something else that Gaara had never felt before. But the two boys seemed to understand each other as Gaara nodded. Somehow they had reached an understanding and somehow Gaara knew that neither of them was going to break the silent agreement about Sakura if they can help it.

The two of them left, arriving on the upper level just as Sakura reached the proctor and apologized for being late. Gaara joined his team mates and Sasuke joined Naruto, who had just arrived.

"Where were you?" he asked… Okay, you probably can guess that he screamed. "I looked everywhere! Kakashi said that if Sakura didn't show up in the next two minutes she could've been eliminated. ELIMINATED!"

"We talked," Sasuke responded, looking at the pink haired girl in the middle of the room below. She had changed. He felt it. Not only had her chakra changed. Something else had as well. Something deep inside of her. Something that gave her more confidence. Something that gave her that stance of courage, arrogance and power.

He didn't know what had happened, but it had. He just hoped that the change was good.

"One day, Sakura," he muttered his eyes still upon her. "One day." He completely ignored the rampaging Naruto, who kept going on about the importance of rules and being on time.

Kakashi was getting more and more confused back there. Sasuke was talking to himself, Naruto was actually lecturing his team mate about time and Sakura seemed to be trying to pull out her hair.

Sakura. Kakashi wasn't completely sure if she was ready for all this. But after what happened in the forest, he was more than willing to give her a benefit of a doubt. 

"SAKURA! Show her some of your youthful energy! GO SAKURA! WOHOO!"

Sakura looked up and smiled slightly at Lee, who was cheering his head off, being backed up by Naruto. Sasuke was just looking, but Sakura took it as a sign of caring. If he had started cheering with the rest of them, she might've just quit the battle. After all being a chuunin didn't matter at all, when the apocalypse was coming.

Gaara was also giving the battle more attention than any battles before. She was in it after all. His possible first friend ever… he wouldn't cheer of course. That's stupid – Gaara of the Sand didn't cheer. But at the same time, he didn't think the people who cheered for her were stupid. After all, they did show their support. Not knowing how to show his support as well, he placed his hands on the railing and looked down at Sakura, who for some reason was looking right at him and grinning. He smirked, not noticing how the sand behind him had made a thumb up sign. Nobody noticed but Kakashi, who rubbed his one eye before looking again. The sign was gone.

Scratching his head, he turned his attention onto the proctor, who started the fourth battle.

_"Ino… From all those ninjas it has to be Ino,"_ Sakura thought, scrunching her nose as they ran forward.

When she had just moved to Konoha, she hadn't had many friends. Ino had become one.

All that time, Sakura had looked up at her. Her friend. Someone, who defended her from those who teased her because her forehead. One person, who had changed everything for her. Someone, who had made school so much easier. That someone had been Ino.

"Damn it," Sakura cursed. How was she supposed to fight properly?

She jumped away as Ino started to attack. The blonde stopped and looked at her.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

Sakura stared at her, getting caught in memories.

"Sakura," Ino snapped. Sakura's eyes came to focus. She slid a hand through her pink hair, before she nodded. "Bring it on."

While they fought, Sakura knew Ino was holding back. She could feel it.

Then Ino's hand came towards her face. Sakura stopped the hand in mid-motion and stared. Open handed?

Both girls stared at the hand. Ino could've sworn it opened by itself. They stood there for a while.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked, trying to get a better look. He was still mad about the comment Neji had made, but now, he thought maybe it was true. How would he himself fight against Sakura? It'd be hard. Impossible even.

"From all the people it had to be Sakura," Shikamaru repeated, "What a drag for them."

"Old bonds are hard to be destroyed," Kakashi commented wistfully.

"Hey you read that from the back of your orange book," Naruto exclaimed.

Kakashi grinned embarrassedly and put the orange book back into his pocket. Often Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke wondered if the pocket was there just to keep his book, which seemed to always be there.

In the middle of the room, the two girls jumped back. Ino still in shock. Sakura was past shock and was working her way into anger.

"We have to do this right," she spoke. "I'm not the same girl who I was before. I will not fight you because of a boy. Ino… pig."

"Shut up!" Ino yelled, "Billboard Brow!"

Sakura narrowed her eyes and said, "Today, when I bring you down, I know I'm a real ninja."

Suddenly she smirked. She undid her headband and put it on her forehead where it was supposed to be. Ino seemed to get the message. She pulled her own headband out of her pocket and tied it on her forehead as well.

"Are you ready?" Ino asked.

"Oh, bring it on."

Sakura made a vow not to use anything that could alert people of her new found powers, but that didn't mean she couldn't use the ones she could explain learning. She and Ino fought for some time. Sakura was out powering her now, using a bit of her vastly found speed and strength. Sakura then made two clones of her and charged at Ino with all of her might. As she came down for a strike, two of the clones disappeared and she sent Ino flying over the room.

As the blonde rose, she was cursing inside. Somehow Sakura was stronger. She didn't know how, but she was outdoing her. She only had one chance. She put her hands together and did a sign.

Sakura smirked, but Ino didn't see it.

"You aren't going to use that, are you?" The pink haired ninja, who was standing in front of her, asked. Ino snapped, "Shut up."

"You'll miss," Sakura pointed out again.

"I said – shut up!"

Sakura was ready and when Ino sent it flying she jumped away from it. Everybody on the upper floor stared.

"Too bad. You missed," Sakura said starting to move towards her. She couldn't.

Ino laughed. "You fell for it." She had pretended to send her spirit at her, while hoping she'd fall for it. She had. And now Sakura was stuck inside of the chakra strings she had placed onto the ground. [_Come on. If I saved Sakura's nice long hair, I can also save Ino's. It's fair_

Sakura looked panicked as Ino readied herself again. The upper level was quiet, waiting. And then Ino released her spirit. It hit Sakura dead on.

Or so they thought.

White a white poof of smoke, Sakura was gone.

_"A clone,"_ everybody thought. Kakashi was thoroughly shocked by now and even Sasuke couldn't figure out when she had replaced herself with a clone. Besides where was Sakura anyways?

The question was responded when she appeared behind Ino's slouched form.

She looked around. She could sense Ino's chakra around somewhere.

"It's over." She spoke and with that raised her fist to bring it down on Ino. It stopped mid motion. She stared at the unconscious girl. She couldn't bring herself to do it. Her fist shaking, she just stood there, not able to continue.

"Come on, Sakura," Naruto urged.

"She must've used her invisibility jutsu when the two clones disappeared," Kakashi mused out loud. "She made it look like two clones disappeared, but actually one of them was real her faking disappearing with an invisibility jutsu. Clever. Really clever."

Naruto snapped at his sensei. "How does that help us? Why isn't she attacking?" Across from them, Gaara of the Sand was thinking along the same lines.

"I call this battle ended," the proctor suddenly called. Sakura looked up. What?

"Since Ino Yamanaka is unable to continue the fight, the winner is Sakura Haruno."

Naruto and Lee blinked in synchronization, before they started to cheer. Sasuke nodded and Kakashi smiled. Maybe he had really underestimated Sakura.

Sakura was about to walk onto the upper level again, when a voice stopped her.

"Forehead, wait up."

Ino's spirit had returned to her already. The blonde girl was removing her headband. At Sakura's look, she explained,

"Doesn't go well with my skin tone."

Sakura smiled slightly and the two girls climbed the stairs together. "Sakura," Ino started. Then she shut up.

**"See, she's having one of her quiet moments."**

_"How long will that last?"_

**"5…4…"**

"I just wanted to say…"

**"Oh, I overestimated her a bit."**

What should a girl do with a stupid inner like that?

"You beat me fair and square. You've been training, right?"

"Yeah, a bit more than usual." She wasn't lying either.

Ino nodded thoughtfully. "Well… Good luck in the third exam."

"Thanks," Sakura replied. Ino was about to walk off, when the other kunoichi spoke, "Ino."

"Yea?"

"Can you help me put my headband back?"

Ino laughed silently, but did so anyways. As the two of them moved to their respective teams, they nodded to each other slightly.

"Sakura!"

Again Sakura was tackled by the orange ramen-eating blob. "You were great," Naruto yelled. Sakura smiled in response.

"Yes, good job Sakura," Kakashi agreed.

"Thank you sensei," She replied grinning. Her grin faltered though when she moved towards the railing to stand next to Sasuke. She looked across the room to see Gaara looking back. He looked a bit bewildered, but nodded anyways. She nodded back. After all, what else could you expect from Gaara? A victory dance?

"You held back."

Sakura was shocked that he had noticed, but she didn't let it show. "Mm."

Kakashi leant over again, hoping to get any clearance. But neither of his students spoke… again. Kakashi cursed silently. Why couldn't they be… talkative? He glanced at Naruto who was bragging in front of Shikamaru. Right, averagely talkative.

Temari, the blonde team mate of Gaara's was chosen next. She battled against TenTen.

Gaara didn't look like he cared about the battle. Kankuro on the other hand paid more attention than before.

It was a quick and rather one sided battle. While TenTen's weapons would've worked against most ninjas, then Temari wasn't one of them. Her wind jutsus created by her huge fan seemed to neutralize all of the attacks.

Lee was cheering his head off again. This time Might Guy jumped in. Sakura shook her head. If TenTen didn't have any more secrets up her sleeve, then the fight was over.

A minute later it was. But it didn't end like a good civilized fight. Instead Temari threw TenTen away like a rag doll. Enraged, Sakura was about to interfere, but Lee beat her to it as he caught TenTen. Wow, he has gotten even faster.

"How dare you?" Lee asked, "That's not a way to treat a ninja who has given her best."

"Whatever," Temari replied. She was aware that the ninja was running at her and at the last moment, she brought up her fan to deflect it. The guy in the green jumpsuit looked shocked.

"If this is the best you have…" Temari started.

"Temari."

The girl looked up.

"There's no need to waste your time. Get up here."

Guy had come to Lee's side by now and together they made sure TenTen was taken to the hospital wing.

"What's her problem?" Naruto asked as TenTen was taken away.

Sakura shrugged, also mad at the girl across their position. And yet she didn't show it. Instead she looked at the screen. Naruto hadn't fought yet and for some reason, she was getting more and more nervous. She didn't want Naruto to fight with Gaara. She really didn't.

The names flickered past and Sakura groaned. Did she just jinx it?

**XxXxXxXxXx**  
**  
A/N** – I'm aware – not much humour in this one. But there's no ways to make these fights humorous. Besides you know what happened anyways.

**R/R,** so I could write more chapters that make you want more.

Keep giving me thoughts and ideas. I need them. Thank you all who have already given me some.

oo.


	11. More Fights

**A/N** – I was feeling rather random every now and then… Sorry about that :D

**Chapter 11 - More Fighting**

"Shikamaru and Kin," Sakura whispered, sighing.

Sasuke looked at her weirdly for a moment. "Sakura…"

Kakashi leant closer, hoping to get some kind of info.

"Yeah?" Sakura asked, her eyes trailing Shikamaru, who was at snail's pace moving towards the proctor and Kin.

Kakashi's head inched a bit closer.

"It's just…" Sasuke spoke, also looking down.

Kakashi leaned just a bit closer.

"Hn. Never mind."

Kakashi lost his balance and fell onto the ground. His three students turned around quickly.

"Sensei, are you alright?" Sakura asked, as Kakashi jumped up and wiped his clothes clean.

"What happened?" Naruto asked, scratching his head, "Did you slip on a banana peel?"

The three other members of team stared at him

"What?" he asked. "It can happen."

"Naruto," Sakura started, "Do you see any banana peels near him?"

"Well, no, but…"

"Is there a reason why there should be banana peels here?" Sakura then asked. When Naruto nodded, her eyebrows rose.

"Well, no, but…"

"How could he possible slip on one then?"

Naruto pointed behind her. Sakura, Sasuke and Kakashi turned as one to see Choji munching on bananas and throwing the peels behind him, obvious that Ino was standing behind him as well.

Sakura turned towards the fuming Ino, who was dodging for the banana peels, and asked, "What is he doing?"

Ino glared at the chubby boy. "His doctor said that he should try eating more healthy food."

Ino dodged another banana peel, glaring daggers with her eyes. Wisely Sakura stepped away.

Sasuke looked at his team mates. How the hell was he put into a team with bunch of weirdoes?  
_  
"Mm… Tomatoes…"_a random thought entered his mind.

_"Killing my brother… Mm…" _another random thought.  
_  
"…"_

_"Right no more explaining is needed…"_he thought as a reply to his previous thoughts. Then he realized something,  
_  
"Wait were those two lined up depending on importance?"_

_"You're thinking to yourself. Who do you think will respond?"_

_"Good point… I'm stopping now."_

_"Good."_

The three genins decided to look the match happening below them. Naruto was annoyed how Shikamaru acted, so when the lazy guy actually won, he was rather shocked.

"What?" Shikamaru asked, slowly moving past them on his way to his team. He then stopped and looked at the humongous pile of banana peels behind Choji. "Troublesome team mate," he muttered, carefully moving onto the side of Choji, where Ino was standing, obviously tired of trying to stand behind him and dodge the banana peels.

_"Where does he keep those bananas?"_ Sakura wondered, as she looked at the display again. Suddenly all thoughts of bananas were wiped out of her mind as the names flickered. Again he was worried that Gaara could end up with Naruto. She didn't want that to happen.  
_  
"Naruto vs… "_

_"Please don't be Gaara. Please don't be Gaara."_

"YES!" Sakura said, pumping her fist into the air. It would've looked weird, but luckily for her, a pretty large commotion was going on around her.

Naruto himself was doing a happy dance, that looked like a crossover between a tango and the chicken dance they learnt in preschool. "I got my turn, I got my turn!" He yelled.

Lee looked like somebody had told him that wearing green was illegal. "I'm going to die in old age before I get to fight," he muttered, as he sat into the dark corner [Which was hard mind you, since the room was round and started to sulk.  
_  
_Kiba didn't seem too sad either, as he hurried into the required area, Akamaru with him. He was grinning like he had just won the lottery. Unknown to Sakura and others, that was exactly what he thought.

"Is he allowed to take his dog?" Sakura asked, as it appeared that Akamaru wasn't about to go anywhere.

"Yes," Kakashi answered, "It's his partner. Dog's are always tied to Kiba's clan."

"Still… the dog is distracting. I mean I know that full-grown dogs are loyal and strong companions and all, but Akamaru is just a pup."

Kakashi didn't comment. "The looks can be deceiving Sakura."

Sakura just couldn't argue with that.

Naruto was grinning as he took in the position. When the proctor started the fight, he was also surprised that the pup stuck around. He asked about it and again the answer was that yes, Akamaru was allowed in the fight.

Naruto shrugged. His enemy was Kiba. The dog didn't disturb him.

"You don't have a chance," Kiba smirked. If Naruto was anything like he was in the academy…

"Yeah, well, you can talk now, but let's see what you say after the fight!" Naruto yelled, determination lighting his face. He'd do it. He'll prove everybody that he has grown. He will become a hokage. HE WILL!

For a good while, Kiba and Naruto snapped insults at each other, until…

"The battle starts… NOW!"

Sasuke and Sakura were utterly shocked when Kiba's hit seemed to knock Naruto out. Kiba's first hit. It wasn't possible. They had been training with Naruto for some time now. He had improved. He had showed that to them. The fight against Zabuza had showed them that he can actually think of good plans and the fight against Haku showed how powerful Naruto could be if he wanted enough.

So the question was, how did he let himself be knocked out with one hit?

It was a deadly quiet moment as Kiba strode back towards Akamaru. Sasuke was staring as hard as ever and Sakura had no idea what to think. She had sometimes underestimated Naruto, but today she had been so sure, he'd…

"Look," Sasuke spoke after a moment.

Sakura opened her eyes which she had closed in frustration. Naruto was getting up. A small smile appeared on Sakura's lips.  
_  
"I wasn't wrong about him,"_ she thought, _"He just doesn't quit."_

**"SHOW THEM NARUTO! CHA!"**

Naruto rose onto his feet and wiped the little blood near the corner of his mouth. "Don't underestimate me, Naruto Uzumaki," he growled.

"YEAH!" Lee screamed. Sakura smiled a bit wider. Even Shikamaru wasn't left untouched. Actually the only ones who didn't react visibly were Sasuke and Gaara.

When Naruto said that he just wanted to see how Kiba hit, Sakura shook her head. Trust Naruto to do that. What if Kiba had had more strength? What if he'd be down just because he wanted to test him.

"He's a moron," Sasuke spoke, obviously thinking along the same lines.

"Yeah, we'll he's our moron," Sakura replied. She didn't know exactly where she stood with Sasuke right now, but then again, she never did. Sasuke was about as talkative as Gaara. Even less so maybe.

Kakashi smiled at his team's antics. They've finally begun to bond. Maybe it'll be soon when they finally realize the importance of their team.

Sasuke looked to the other way coldly.

Or maybe it'll take more time for some people…

The fight was winding up again. Naruto was surrounded by purple smoke. He couldn't see a damn thing. Kiba had thrown smoke grenades at him.

"What is happening?" Lee yelled, "We can't even see the youthful match."

_"Youthful match?"_

"More morons," Sasuke muttered, as he placed his hands onto the railing and his chin onto his hands as he looked down.

Sakura was getting more and more annoyed with Sasuke. Honestly, the guy was so irritating. Lee had probably saved their necks in that forest and here Sasuke was, acting like a kid whose lollypop was taken. And the whole thing in that room… What was that about?

Sasuke's expression ever since they had left that room showed no signs that it had even happened.

Suddenly Naruto ran out of the smoke. Then he stumbled back into the smoke, since Akamaru had lunged at him.

"Argh, we can't even see the best parts," Shikamaru whined. Sakura wanted to punch the guy. Yet, she also hated the smoke screen.

When it finally faded and she saw Naruto lying there, she didn't think about how sad she was that Naruto had lost. She didn't think that Naruto had lost at all. She thought that something about the chakra's didn't add up. Again, her abilities weren't trained enough for her to know exactly what was going on. On times like these, Sakura wondered if the powers were meant to help her or confuse her more.

Probably both.

She glanced at Kakashi who seemed to be smiling. It's hard to say when it comes to Kakashi, because the mask he always wore. Sakura assumed that he was smiling anyways.

If Kakashi was smiling like that it usually meant two things – either that he knew something others didn't or that another Come, Come Paradise book had been released.

Since he had barely finished reading the previous one, Sakura doubted another book had been released. That meant that Kakashi knew what was happening and since he smiled, it was good thing for him. So it should also be a good thing for his team, right?

Sakura tried to figure out that tingling chakra sensation. She started to doubt that it was coming from Naruto. Or Kiba for that matter. It seemed to be coming from the dog?

Sakura really started to doubt her abilities now.

And that was when Akamaru jumped at Kiba and bit him.

Sakura doubted that she was still awake by now. Akamaru was like a part of Kiba. Akamaru didn't bite Kiba. That… just didn't happen. If Akamaru bit Kiba then it'd be like a brilliant prodigy ninja like Neji stumbling behind his own feet.

Since Sakura was concentrating on the fight, she didn't hear the bang which occurred near Lee's team. She also didn't hear the string of curse words flying from Neji's mouth as he stood up and looked around. By now the Hyuuga was sure it was all a secret plan to get him. He looked around wearily afraid to move. When nothing happened, he too started to look the battle once again, doing his best to ignore the looks he gained from many ninjas.

When Akamaru was replaced with Naruto, pieces fell into their right spots.

_"But Naruto was lying there," _ Sakura thought, _"Did he just pull off two jutsus at the same time?"_

She was right. Naruto had used a clone jutsu as well as a transformation jutsu. Now he was holding Akamaru and looking smug.

That changed when Kiba gave the dog a food pill. No longer was Naruto holding a defenseless puppy. Instead his clone was destroyed by a scary dog with red fur.

"What the heck…" Naruto spoke.

Akamaru was growling furiously as he stood by Kiba and bared his teeth at Naruto.

Then Akamaru jumped onto Kiba's back and that's when everything started to go wrong for Naruto. Akamaru turned into a clone of Kiba. When Naruto was good enough to stand against one Kiba, then two was too much even for him.

Especially with those combined moves. The battle was intense.

"I won't give up," Naruto said, getting onto his feet after yet another successful combination hit from Kiba.

"It's your funeral," Kiba spoke.

"I still," Naruto coughed, "have to use my secret jutsu."

"Secret jutsu?" Sakura asked, looking at Kakashi, who shrugged.

Kiba seemed to think of that jutsu as a potential threat as he begun a string of attacks, making sure that Naruto didn't have any time to use that 'secret attack.'

Just as he was running at Naruto again, Naruto did something rather fatal for Kiba.

"Did he just…?" Lee asked, looking at Sakura.

Sakura nodded dumbly.

"Is that his secret jutsu?" Kakashi asked, blinking.

"It worked, right?" Sakura asked quietly, still a bit shocked. "Whatever works Naruto! Keep it up!"

"Hn."

"Mm."

Sasuke stared at Sakura, who stared right back.

Kurenai, Kiba's sensei, spoke, "Since Kiba has the advanced sense of smelling, Naruto's … fart sent him off edge."

Kakashi was staring at his apprentice. "Whatever works right?" he muttered, looking at the boy in the middle of the room, who was grinning sheepishly, while Kiba started to look a bit green.

"Well," Naruto spoke, "At least now I have enough time to use my secret jutsu."

Sasuke snorted when the Uzumaki barrage was revealed. It was a good move, but if he didn't know any better he'd think that it was copied after the move he used to get his own opponent to stay put while he used the fireball jutsu.

"The winner is Naruto Uzumaki!"

Sakura started to cheer. She grinned at Gaara, who couldn't get why she was so happy. It was just a battle. He wins battles all the time. Nobody cheers. Why doesn't someone cheer then? And another thing, why hadn't Sakura killed the girl when she had the chance?

He couldn't understand stuff like that yet. Sakura seemed to understand that he was questioning something, since she raised an eyebrow. Gaara shrugged almost visibly. Still nobody noticed as most people were shocked that Naruto won.

Naruto sure had come a long way.

Sakura couldn't get Gaara. He had seemed rather shocked when she had won the match like she did. Why? She had no idea.

She scratched her head, before she gently bobbed her head towards the hallway once again. She started to walk away, just as Naruto received some ointment from Hinata.

"Hey, Sakura, where are you going?" The blonde boy asked.

Sakura smiled slightly. "The lady's room," she replied vaguely, "Nice fight, though. I always knew you had it in you." As Naruto grinned victoriously, she moved away.

As she left, the next fighters were announced and as Hinata and Neji got ready, nobody noticed the sand genin disappear in the whirl of sand.

He moved into the room Sakura had been before and he wasn't surprised to find her sitting on a table there.

"So?" Sakura asked, "Why have you been looking me like THAT for some time now?"

"Like what?" Gaara asked cautiously and quietly, remaining near his spot by the door. He was intimidated by Sakura. Not her fighting skills exactly, but the way she made him feel.

She made him feel … Normal. Like he was just another boy from the sand village. Nobody else did that. Just her.

Sakura shrugged casually, "Like you don't get me. Like I'm a Martian."

Gaara looked at her. He didn't speak for several minutes, until he asked,

"Why?"

"Why what?" Sakura asked instantly.

"Why didn't you attack when you had a chance? She was vulnerable," Gaara exclaimed.

Sakura looked at him strangely, obviously not been expecting that question. She started rather hesitantly,

"You see this isn't a battle for life exactly. I believe you shouldn't harm people without a reason to do so. If to win, you need to make the other unable to fight or to give up, then you don't have to kill them."

"But isn't that the whole point? To win? To let people know your strong?"

"Yeah," Sakura agreed, "But you hurt more people if you actually kill somebody. If you had one really good friend, me for example," Sakura grinned, "and somebody would, you know, kill me, then how would you feel?"

Gaara blinked. "I… don't know."

"You wouldn't feel good," Sakura said, "I thought that Sasuke died once. It doesn't hurt you physically, but there's a pain in your chest. In your heart."

"It hurts, Gaara," Sakura spoke, "It'd hurt me when someone from my team, some of my friends, like Lee or Ino, yeah her, or even you, gets hurt and it will hurt you when people you care about get hurt."

Gaara closed his eyes to block out the image that had appeared in his mind. It was his uncle after Gaara had removed his mask. He had died. But he didn't care. Right? He had tried to kill him. He deserved to die. And yet, that pain Sakura had told him about. Why had it hurt that much?

"It's hard to hurt your friends Gaara either mentally or physically."

"I don't understand such things," Gaara spoke, looking down. "I don't have any…"

Sakura jumped down of the table, trying to make the talk more cheerful. There were so many things Gaara didn't understand and Sakura was trying more and more to suppress the anger she felt towards the people who made him like this.

"If you say you don't have any friends you'll hurt my feelings, you know?" Sakura asked; a joking tone in her voice.

"Really? That too hurts?" Gaara asked. He didn't have problems with hurting people. Especially if they hurt him first.

"Not a lot, but a bit, yeah," Sakura said. "It's hard to explain with just words."

Gaara didn't react, though his eyes grew more distant. His uncle had said that too when Gaara had asked him to explain wounds.

"So," he finally said, "If somebody hurt your friend, it hurts you too?"

Sakura nodded.

"And you don't like hurting someone without a reason?"

Sakura nodded again.

"I think I'm starting to understand something," Gaara said. "But sometimes… there are missions…"

"A mission is a good enough reason to kill somebody…"

"…to kill me," Gaara ended.

"…who deserves to die," Sakura quickly amended, stepping closer to Gaara, "Gaara, you don't deserve to die. You have a demon inside you, correct?"

"Yes."

"Well it's inside you, so you're the boss here. You order the demon around, not the other way around. Remember that!" she said, "And if anyone tells you something else, let me at them." She then walked next to him, ruffled his hair for a good bit, before she turned to leave.

"You haven't fought yet," she said with a smile, "Make sure you're not late."

Then she left. Gaara stared her harder than ever. Then he took off his gourd and shook it violently. The sand reacted and flew around him.

"Why do you do this to me?" Gaara asked. "Are you here to just make me more confused?"

The sand swirled a bit more.

"You don't even work," Gaara snapped at his sand, not aware how stupid he looked, talking to sand like that, "What happened to Gaara's-untouchable-plan? WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME???"

Then he coughed and disappeared in a whirlpool of sand.

XxXxXxXxXx

A/N – Wohoo, another chapter down. I rule! See, now I added a base to the whole Gaara being more willing to act nicer. It's going to build from here… I think. Anyways R/R. I'll try to post the next chapter when I have what… 120 reviews? Huh? Huh:D  
**  
REVIEW!  
**  
By the way, I started to work on another bugging idea of mine [Obviously SasuSaku. I'll post the first chapter as fast as I can. Love you all. See you :D


	12. Last Fights

**Chapter 12 – Last fights**

Sakura arrived in the main hall as Hinata was taken out of the it. Naruto and Neji were talking… kind of and Lee was standing between the two of them, just in case.

"What happened?" Sakura asked from Sasuke.

The raven haired boy looked away from the scene. "Hn."

"Well, that was really detailed. Thank you very much," Sakura said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"A lot of things happened," Sasuke finally said, as Sakura kept staring at him expectantly.

"Mm."

Sasuke stared now. Sakura raised an eyebrow. He continued to talk.

"Neji won…"

Sakura took a deep breath.

_"Don't kill your team mate. Don't kill your team mate. Don't kill your team mate…" _

"Can't you do the thing you did in the forest?"

At least a minute had passed and Sasuke hadn't spoken a single thing. So when he said that, Sakura was surprised. Actually she was surprised she hadn't thought of it herself.

"Give me your hand," she said. Sasuke hesitated.

"Oh come on, I don't have cooties or something," Sakura said, grabbing his hand. She concentrated and then found herself in a dark hallway. On the walls were lots and lots of little movies.

She concentrated the ones right in front of her. There was one with herself talking and another one with Kakashi jumping off the railing. She moved past them a bit and found the right memory. She saw the entire fight until the moment when Neji lunged at Hinata.

Since he had moved closer while he had talked to her, the jounins had been to far away to stop him.

Luckily for Hinata, Neji somehow stumbled on the stone floor, slipped and falled onto his sorry backside.

She withdrew herself and her physical body jerked a bit as she did that. Kakashi saw the movement and scratched his head. "_Damn, this confusion is killing me!"_

"Thanks," Sakura muttered.

"Hn."

"Do you have to do that?" she asked, "It's damn annoying."

Kakashi blinked. Did Sakura just tell Sasuke he was annoying? Really? What had he missed again?

Sasuke smirked. "Hn."

"You know what?" Sakura asked. "I don't care. You can be as annoying as you want to be. I'll just… ignore you."

Sasuke looked at her, leaned closer and said, "Hn."

Sakura didn't even blink. Instead she was now looking at Naruto who was walking towards them, looking a bit glum.

"Don't worry Naruto," she said, "You'll get to beat Neji up some day."

Naruto nodded slightly, "I will beat him one day. I'm not a failure!"

"Hn."

Sakura's eye twitched but she didn't let it show. Instead she just placed her hand on Naruto's shoulder and said, "Hinata will be fine."

"Yeah, she will be," Naruto agreed, "Right Sasuke?"

"Hn."

"Who's Sasuke?" Sakura asked, just to annoy the guy. Naruto blinked.

"The guy behind you?" he offered. Sakura turned around.

"There's nobody behind me," she said. Kakashi grinned under his mask. Sometimes his team was so childish…

"Yeah, there is," Naruto said, walking next to Sasuke, "See? Sasuke? Our team mate?"

"We have a team mate?" Sakura asked. "Wow, I didn't know that. Where is he?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes slightly. Then Naruto said, "HE'S HERE! SEE? S-A-S-U-K-E!"

"Sasuke?" Sakura asked, "What kind of name is that? We don't have a guy in our team with a name like that. Sasuke… reminds me of tomatoes being stomped on."

"Who is stomping on tomatoes?" Sasuke asked, his eyes wide. Kakashi wasn't even reading any more. This was almost as entertaining.

Of course, Sakura didn't answer Sasuke's question. It would've gone against her ignoring techniques. Right now, she was trying to annoy Sasuke. It was starting to work.

Naruto looked confused. "Am I the only one able to see Sasuke? Sasuke, are you dead? Am I dead? Is this a jutsu? Am I conscious?"

Sasuke rubbed his temples as he stared at Naruto.

"You can't speak?" Naruto asked. "What is going on with the world?!?"

"Naruto, are you alright?" Sakura asked. "What's wrong?"

Naruto laughed nervously, "You really can't see Sasuke?"

"Whose Sasuke?"

"Our team mate," Naruto said.

"We have a team mate?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Whose Sasuke?"

"Sasuke is our team mate!" Naruto yelled.

"Wait," Sakura stopped, blinking. Naruto sighed. She was going to be normal again. The she asked. "We have a team mate?"

Naruto growled out loud and turned his back towards her. Now he was staring at Sasuke.

"What's going on?" he asked. "Why are you acting all weird?"

"Hn."

"Sakura…" Naruto said, turning around again. He found Sakura. She wasn't smiling any more. Instead she was staring at the display.

Naruto looked up as well. "Gaara versus Rock Lee," he read out loud. Lee was cheering, since he finally had his turn. Pretty much everybody else… well… they were feeling sorry for him.

Temari looked at the guy in the green suit. He had no idea what was going to happen with him. Actually a small part of her felt sorry for him as well.

She looked at their sensei. The agreement with the sound was being cancelled. If their leader was taken out by mere genins, then they didn't want to know what even stronger ninjas could do. Maybe they could just wait until the Kazekage got back from the trip he went a week ago. Then they could discuss the peace treaty with the Fire Country.

Inside, Temari was happy. She had never gotten the reason why they should start a war with the Leaf Village. They had a peace treaty after all.

She was dragged out of her thoughts when Gaara disappeared in a whirl of sand and reappeared in the middle of the room below them. Lee also hurried there, anxious to start his fight.

He will not be the only one to lose here.

Gaara's head was still aching a bit for no obvious reason.

He also couldn't get the words that Sakura said out of his mind. Why did she say them? Just to make him more confused? Probably not, but that was the effect it had on him. He got into position and looked at her.

_"It hurts, Gaara. It'd hurt me when someone from my team, some of my friends, like Lee or Ino, yeah her, or even you, gets hurt and it will hurt you, when people you care about get hurt."_

So he just had to make sure that the boy standing there gave up and he'd be over with it. Easy. Right?

**XxXxXxXxXx (No, It's not the end. I'm just showing that time passed) XxXxXxXxXx**

Sakura couldn't watch.

"HIDDEN LOTUS!"

She heard the scream, but everything was happening so fast. Suddenly Gaara plunged into the ground. Sakura closed her eyes. She couldn't watch it.

She opened her eyes barely a half a second later. She had to know what was happening.

Kankuro, who had joined Naruto some time ago, kept talking how it had never happened before. But Lee's speed… It was inhuman. So somehow it explained why he was the first one to touch Gaara in battle.

But was it worth it. Sakura felt his chakra to some level and while it was humongous when he opened the gate, then now it was starting to fade quickly, leaving his chakra channels clogged. His muscles were already starting to rip from what she gathered from Kakashi.

And Gaara… That hit against the ground. Had he even survived?

He was breathing. The sand had protected him. Unknown to herself, Sakura breathed out in relief. Both of them were alive. But will it stay that way?

Lee couldn't take another hit or the damage could be permanent. But Gaara… Sakura had no idea how Gaara was faring. One of them had to win, but neither of them was going to give up.

Lee was out of chakra. He could barely move.

"Give up," Sakura muttered, "Give up, Lee."

Kakashi found himself agreeing with his student. If Lee didn't give up… he had no chance of winning anyways, since Gaara was still able to use chakra. But if he continued, the damage inflicted on him might be beyond repair later.

Sakura's eye caught a bit of movement. Gaara's hand was rising. Sand was starting to move to create a giant hand.

Shino had told them about that move. The move was made to kill. Sakura's breathing fastened as the hand started to move towards Lee, who tried to crawl away. He was unsuccessful.

The hand was closing in. Tears were starting to well in Sakura's eyes. Why didn't he listen? Lee, why aren't you giving up?

The hand was almost there, when Sakura couldn't take it anymore.

"Stop," She yelled, "Just… STOP!"

While Temari, Kankuro and their sensei were shocked that somebody thought that their command was going to stop Gaara, then it was nothing, nothing I tell you, compared to the shock they felt when the hand actually stopped in mid-motion.

Gaara stood up shakily, his sand armour crumbling away completely. "He keeps getting up," he muttered, "I have to make sure… he doesn't… get up again."

The hand moved a bit towards Lee. Sakura hurried to the railing.

"Don't do it," she yelled. Lee was still trying to crawl away.

"He doesn't stay down," Gaara muttered to himself, "I have to make him stay down."

"He'll give up," Sakura yelled, "Do you hear me, Gaara? He will give up. Just put the sand down!"

If the situation wouldn't have been so dire, Kakashi would've smiled at that. But right now, he was too damn confused about why Sakura seemed to have at least some control over the redheaded boy below them.

"Lee, give up!" Sakura yelled.

Lee looked at her. He didn't want to lose. He could collect himself.

"Lee you're hurting yourself," Sakura said her voice level lowering a bit. "You're hurting your friends, who're watching you like this. I know you want to prove yourself, but you already have. You're an exceptional ninja, Lee. One of the best taijutsu ninjas I know. But if you continue this fight, you might never train again. Is that what you want, Lee?" A tear fell down her cheek.

"Sakura," Lee breathed. Suddenly his eyes widened as a huge amount of dust appeared. He coughed.

Temari couldn't believe it. Through the whole time that girl had been speaking, Gaara's expression had gone back to how it was when he was in control. When he wasn't out for blood. The giant hand had been shaking for some time and finally, when the girl finished speaking, it had squeezed itself together and the sand had disappeared back to where it had came from – Gaara's gourd.

Gaara was breathing hard, but he wasn't attacking. He was just standing there, staring at Lee. Sakura was gripping the railing hard enough for her knuckles to go white. Everybody was staring in shock. Even Shikamaru didn't seem bored for once.

Slowly Lee raised his hand. "I… I want to withdraw."

The proctor nodded. "Due to withdrawal, the winner of the ninth round is Gaara!"

Sakura's breathing somewhat normalized. Her hands let go of the railing as she slid down. For a long moment she just sat there and stared at the railing. Then she jumped up, over the railing and landed on the first floor, next to Lee.

"How are you?" she asked, kneeling next to him. Lee, barely conscious, smiled,

"I'm going to work on my technique," he coughed, "And then, then I'm going… to show you what I can do, Sakura. I'm not a… failure like Neji says. I'm not. I just… need to… train harder… 2000 kicks a day…"

His eyes fell closed.

"How is he?" It was Guy's voice.

The medics looked grim. "He has some serious muscular damage and some broken bones, but luckily they should heal in time. He walked on a thin line today. If it had gotten even a bit worse… he might've never been able to fight again. His days as a shinobi would have been over."

Guy stared at his student. Lee had worked the hardest to become the ninja he is today. If all that training would've been lost in just one lousy day…

"Oh Lee," he breathed, walking along as the medics gently carried Lee away.

Sakura rose onto her feet and started to move towards the stairs. Gaara was standing in the midway. As she walked past of him, she stopped for a moment.

"Are you coming or what?"

Gaara looked away from the distancing Lee. "But he failed… Why do they still…?"

"Care for him?" Sakura asked, as the two of them started to walk up the stairs, aware that at least every second pair of eyes was on them. "Because failure or no failure, Lee is precious to many. Guy is just one of those people."

"I failed too," Gaara muttered after a moment. "I couldn't control him. When that guy attacked, he came out. I would have… I would have killed him if you hadn't stopped me and you said that killing was bad. I've killed a lot. All those assassins…"

"I've always been taught that killing is my purpose in life," Gaara spoke. "But if it isn't… does it mean I have no purpose at all?"

Sakura stopped walking as she grabbed Gaara's hand and turned him to face her. Gaara was starting to give up thinking while his sand wasn't reacting.

"Don't say that, Gaara," Sakura said, her voice serious, "You always have a reason. Your team mates care of you. Trust me; I stood by Kankuro while you fought. I know he cares. He just doesn't show it. Your reason to live could be anything. You could start collecting damn bottle corks and have your life purpose be to collect 10 million corks."

"That's not a purpose of life," Gaara spoke.

"Yes, it is. It's a purpose just like any other. Some say that their purpose is to become the strongest ninja, some want to get a family. Naruto wants to become the hokage. Others live to help out people. Gaara nobody can tell you what the purpose of your life is. You have to figure it out by yourself and killing, it might not just be it."

She finally released his hand. "Gaara, come on. Act normal for once. Don't you have anything you like to do besides fighting?"

Naruto was trying to listen in with Kankuro. The two nosy guys had sneaked closer. Suddenly a big wall of sand appeared between Gaara and Sakura and Naruto and Kankuro. Another wall appeared onto the other side of Gaara and Sakura. Then one in both sides and in top. They were literally stuck inside of a box made from sand.

"What the…?" Naruto asked as Gaara blocked himself in, taking Sakura with him.

"I've never seen him do that before," Kankuro spoke. Suddenly Temari glided over to them on her fan. She stepped down and asked, "What is going on with Gaara?"

Kankuro shrugged. "He's been acting weird the whole day. And I swear to god, he's been carrying an orange around with himself the whole day."

"Maybe he carries a snack?" Naruto offered as he poked the sand wall. It closed automatically and almost bit his finger off.

"Damn, I don't think we'll be listening in, Kankuro."

Sasuke walked to them, also slightly worried about Sakura. He didn't show emotions of course. By now almost everybody seemed more interested in the sand cubicle than the fight that was happening on the first floor.

"What has your team mate done to Sakura?" Sasuke snapped as he reached their side.

"I was just about to ask what the hell your team mate did to ours," Temari snapped back.

While they started to argue, inside the cubicle, Sakura was getting claustrophobic.

"So," she said, coughing as she looked around in the small closed space they were in. She had a thing with small closed spaces. "What else do you like except fighting?"

Gaara muttered something under his breath.

"What?" Sakura asked, trying to listen more carefully.

"I like football," Gaara spoke. "In my country, boys play it all the time. I like to watch. But I have to stay hidden, because when they see me watching, they stop."

Sakura scratched her head. What kinds of kids were afraid of another boy like that? Fine he had killed a few people and all and he was the son of the kazekage, but…

They were in silence for a few moments, until…

"Well then," Sakura said, clapping her hands together, "We only have one way to solve this. When these exams are over, you're coming to my place to play football."

Gaara stared. Though it was dark and Sakura didn't see it.

"So, are you ready to go out yet? People could be worried. Or do you want to talk some more?"

"Hm."

"Was that a Hm-yes or Hm-no?" Sakura asked, "I'm starting to be able to tell apart Hn-s, but Hm-s are new to me."

She got her answer when the sand started to disappear from around them. Sakura grinned slightly as she climbed out of the box.

"Sakura!"

Again an orange blob attacked her. She was starting to wonder if it was going to be a regular thing from now.

"You!" Sasuke said, advancing on Gaara, "What do you think you were doing!"

Sakura released herself from Naruto's grip for long enough to see Gaara shrugging.

"One fight ends and another one starts," she muttered.

**"Ha, my money is on the panda-boy!" **  
_  
"Wait weren't you just crushing on Sasuke?"_

**"Oh, we still are crushing on him. Panda-boy is just on roll today and we stick with winners!"  
_  
_**_"… Why can't I be a normal, pink haired, girl ninja, who somehow got a centuries old knowledge stuffed into her head?"  
_**  
"…"  
**  
_"I mean normal – without an inner voice!"_

**"OH…OH… I get it… You were sarcastic?"**  
_  
"No. Serious."_  
**_  
"Right. I'll shut up for now…"_**

_"I wouldn't have thought of that! Thanks a lot."_

**"No problem."**

_"Now I WAS sarcastic."  
_  
**"Oh…"**

"Hm?"

Sasuke was advancing towards Gaara, who shrugged and in a whirl of sand, he was gone.

"Where did he go?"

Kankuro and Temari were already walking back towards their sensei where Gaara had gone to, when the proctor called the tenth match ended. Dosu was the winner.

Sasuke threw a look at Sakura, who was rasping a bit of sand out of her clothes, when the proctor started to speak.

"That battle was also the end of the preliminaries."

"Now, I ask all of you who made it to the third exam to come here."

Naruto grinned slightly as he proudly walked down the stairs. Sasuke hn-ned and followed. Sakura did the same, only with out the Hn.

Their whole team had made it. Kakashi seemed happy, as he wiggled fingers in front of Guy, who seemed to accept that Kakashi was ahead of him with two points now.

_ [ A/N - Note, that I looked up the whole internet to find out what kind of amount of money they should get… Nothing. I only know that Chiriku's death was worth 30 million and he was a damn monk So I'm going to put Orochimaru's amount the same, because frankly, I have no idea how the money thing works_

"Before we explain you the third exam, we still have one more thing to take care of."

"More things," Naruto whined, "When can we actually get to the third exam?"

Sakura nudged him.

The hokage nodded to Sakura. The girl now noticed that many ninjas were watching them carefully. What was going on? Were there so many people there before as well?

"Since we are in a rather secluded area right now," the hokage started to speak, "the reward ceremony is going to be rather rough around the edges, but hopefully the three genins will still understand that many villages are thankful for what they have done."

Naruto stopped poking Sakura, clearly figuring out where this was heading.

"We have had the medals brought here and the monetary reward shall be given to you as soon as you reach the village. But now, in front of your rivals and friends, I'd like to award those three brave genins …"

Everybody was waiting. Wanting to know who was powerful enough to kill a legendary ninja.

"Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha."

The grown ninjas, who were viewing, started to clap. Most of the genins looked shocked.

"Those three?"

"No way."

"Yeah."

Naruto strode in front of the hokage with confidence, grinning wider than ever. Sasuke and Sakura followed.

"Behalf of the kages all over the world, I award you – Naruto Uzumaki with a medal of Flame. A high level medal for a Konoha's ninja."

Sasuke and Sakura were also given their medals and then…

"You will also share the amount of 30 million ryous."

Naruto's yaw hit the floor. "30 million?"

"Yes," the hokage said, "The award for killing Orochimaru is 30 million ryous."

"Once again the Fire Country thanks you, young genins."

"Now onto the third exam…"

Naruto barely listen to a word the hokage said. He was too busy staring at the medal he had been given. It wasn't anything big. Jeez, it wasn't from real gold, but it was one of the most important things anyone had ever given him. It was right there near the top with his headband.

Naruto was made to pick a number. He did.

When they were revealed what the number was for, he was very happy he had picked that number.

Ebiki showed them a paper with a small scheme. The third exam was like a tournament.

Sakura looked at the ten names at the bottom.

She was in the first battle. Her opponent was Dosu. It wasn't too bad.

After her came Shikamaru and Temari; Naruto and Neji; Shino and Kankuro and last Gaara and Sasuke.

Shikamaru was already whining about always being pitched against a girl.

"The exam will take place in exactly a month," the hokage said. "Which means you'll have a month to prepare for them."

"A month?" Everybody asked.

"Why can't we get them over with right now?" Dosu asked.

"Because it's a time for preparation for you as well as us. We need time to distribute summons to every village and prepare a place large enough for you to be able to show your every ability. It's a big event after all."

"While before the enemy was unknown to you, then now it's not the case any more. Be prepared and be ready."

"Isn't that the same?" Naruto asked. The hokage coughed and said, "Well, that'd be it…"

"Wait," Shikamaru interrupted, "I have a question."

"Yes?"

"If this is a tournament, does it mean there'll only be one winner?"

The hokage told them the basics of being judged by many different shinobis, who will decide whether or not a ninja will become chuunin or not.

Then he dismissed them. Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto walked towards Kakashi, their medals dangling around their necks.

"Actually, I didn't even know they gave out medals," Sakura said, as team 7 walked towards the hospital wing to pick up their stuff.

"They usually don't. Only when something exceptional happens. And you are something exceptional. Beating someone several ranks above your own level… I'm proud of you. So teamwork works?"

"Yeah," the team said their tones dismissive. Kakashi grinned.

"So how are we going to get home?" Naruto asked.

"Go through the forest again," Kakashi said, as it was the most obvious thing ever.

"What?" Naruto asked, "Why?"

Kakashi looked at him. "How else do you think we'll get back to Konoha? We're in a tower, surrounded by miles and miles of forest…"

Naruto groaned, "Right… Let's grab out stuff and go."

**XxXxXxXxXx**

- Honestly, I wondered about that. One second the hokage was talking and another second they were in Konoha's hospital. I mean the forest is full of creepy stuff, right? So since I believe they don't have a helicopter, how did they get to Konoha so fast?

A/N – Thank you for your reviews, love you blah-blah-blah. I don't think I'm able to write for some time now. Homework… School starts on Monday and I haven't knitted a single row 50 cm isn't much… right?

**Question** – It's a fight. Kankuro vs. Shino in the third exam – Who wins?  
Naruto vs. Kankuro/Shino – who wins[If you say Naruto, like I think you will, it might just happen I'm going to have the whole team 7 in top three. Sakura vs. Sasuke and then the winner vs. Naruto [My case – Sasuke vs. Naruto then I'm not sure… HELP ME!

**Next **– Sakura finds something interesting from the forest. Kakashi takes Sasuke to train with him through the month. What about Sakura and Naruto?


End file.
